Star. — London, England, 1812-04-16 00:00:00

" 1, Lidor,persi )een very usual vas also anothcr nd he was sure, e would be no liporary punish. n all the French id learned, that army was most ild this mode of ation ? Punish. iole nation, but Whatever it :h of it ; it was, the army. It lisgrace and in to the Militia, as there were so red to the duties ed to vote for tte : the punishment hed, at least for planers, to hear, onsiderablrdi s it was disused 'red, they would thought in all be made to the le conduct of the highly honour- Ileneral Officers, udge of the pro 'selves in favour thought, might of the country, guard those in• ule which would rear that this pu -I;niched in num, ilatians proposed edge AdTocate) rom them. He )pted of reward nces. Ouch had m. With respect st it, because'it House of Coat. d to call back the ion really before the abolition of T should be laid garding military Dbjectiuns to the nt was, !hat there rts Martial might ers ; they might hes, without con at they should in what they ought vould be glad to e dreaded ? Wai '2 House, by their t, and, according of this subject tetits, since within corporal punish- An Honourable d, that ir, the mai- ause the officers I served upon the ion was, might be try men, best ac l whom was Sir , r wessly, that cor !tit in the militia, service, and had ig it appear, thac be so punished or only six years, e undergone tlii the nature of the to quote the well one, who had de. England simple stances of torture, the law allowed ; vn, and it Tenpin/ ty to drive a nian ind when his soul >ocl3s) to leap into the halberts, re r cans takta o call .—Here lioaE ase, but his mind iat the faster Ms :o the infliction of his wounds were they might again as mere liypoctisr iers would be in 7 it ; they, perhaps, se be affected who d the sufferings ot stitution of death 3r individuals had be shielded from -emembered„ 'flue !d and tormented, r were first corn yards to endure its had no power of M the army, per for a few guineas, nder all these cit . - he account moved the table. EXCHEQUEIi. Honourable Gen. ' n - motive in brink t of the most ho mid not, however, ind were likely tO, ger. He acknow , vas an evil, but it ih, in the constitu!' terly impossible to had been case n s of 'ergo the puish!' SULLY said, across Id tell him end said, that tbt ;ht he not to bale such glaiiag aF44 exaggeratastateMents to the House ? —( arer, hear.) 1 ...Ja e then alluded to the statement made by the Honourable Baronet from a Newspaper, of the case of a man at Taunton who shammed death, and when the pressgang came into the neighbourhood, skulked off, and never was heard of after, as he never was i of before.—(A laugh.)—He did not be leve heard a iword of this ; no trace could be found of such a case having ever existed ; and with regard to the instance of suicide, as there was no truth in the story, it was intended to prose - cute the publisher of it. The production of the Papers moved for , would be a great injustice to the officers who caused the punishment to be inflicted ; in as much as it would occasion a dis cussion on their conduct, without giving them any o pportunity to justify or explain. The Honourable Baronet said, that we were a disgraced, degraded, an d a fl'gged nation ! he might as well say, that we were a disgraced, degraded, and a hung nation ; and he would no doubt find many who would join him in that opinion, and who would be very glad to get rid of the punishment of hanging.— d laugh).—On these grounds he opposed the motion. Mr. BROUGHAM said, that the Right Hen- Gentleman opposite, and his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wil berforce) had used arguments so extraordinary, that he could not ,give his vote without entering his pro test against them. It was said, that the word " flog ging" was a watch-word fibr discontent in the army, and that therefore every discusiion upon the subject should be avoided, as tending to irritate and inflame. While they had in recollection the Wacheren In qniry, he was surprised that an argument of this kind could be used ; and he would say, that the manner in which that subject was met by the planners of the expedition, proved that the discussion of any thing relative to the treatment of the army, was not consi dered as without the province of the House. The question before the House was, whether documents should be laid on the table, to shew how far corporal punishments had consisted in abuse, and whether the power of Commanding Officers had been temperately or immoderately used? The nervous feeling which was excited in Gentlemen on the opposite side, whenever the subject was brought forward, in, duced one to think that they feared the finding of things as they ought not to be. He had a let ter which he received very lately, dated from Ca. nada, on the I 2th of February last, which would shew that this mode of- punishment still continues in full fetce. This letter mentions a recent instance where 700 lashes were inflicted at four different times. No man could deserve to be visited with such seve rity of punishment. Mutiny, 'rebellion, and other such flagrant acts of outrage and contempt of autho rity and discipline, merited, it is true, the highest punishment ; this he admitted, but he contended that in such instances the punishment should extend to death. But this which cauterised the moral feelings, at the same time that it lacerated the tortured person of the sufferer, was on no occasion to be admitted.— The effect he feared was not only of the most debas. ing nature, but there was reason to apprehend the worst consequences, perhaps, ere long, from that fe rocious and sanguinary spirit arising from a military education, to which such mode of punishment is con stantly familiar. 1 o confine it to soldiers and sailors was to alienate them from the other classes of their fellow-citizens, and to create in them a spirit of cru elty, which made them the ready instruments of visit ing on others what they themselves had received in their own persons. He was sure that, if flogging had not existed as a punishment in our army, cur soldiers would never have lent themselves to assist in intiraing it in a manner so improper and so disgraceful as that which took place in the Sister Kingdom.—To prove that his statements were not exaggerated, he could produce a book, the book of a Master-at-Arms of a line of-battle-ship, (he would not mention his name,) in which the punishments of six months were recorded. ' In six months of the year 1809, it would appear, that not less than 14 or 15,000 lashes were inflicted. Several were repeatedly punished ; to avoid the re p?tition of punishment, one man leaped overboard, and he believed a similar mode of escaping the tor ture was not unusual. The punishment was aggrava ted in many instances by the barbarous fashion, as well as the parts of the body upon which it was in flicted. In conclusion, he observed, that the only me thod of contradicting with effect the reports which pre nailed as to the nature of those punishments, if the re-' ports were false, would be to accede to the present Moo If false, no one would rejoice more than himself that it was void of foundation. Mr. ROBINSON defended the Admiralty from the charge of countenancing wanton or severe punish- I • ments in the Navy ; and be would with confidence • take upon himself to deny the accuracy of the facts stated by the Hon. Gentleman. Why did not the Hon. Gentleman mention names ? ' Mr. BROUGHAM saiJ, that he would send the documents he alluded to hit') the Admiralty. Mr. Long, Sir F. Burdett, Mr. Brougham, Mr. "inson. Mr. Lambe, Mr. Mabliers Sutton, and Mr. Bennet, made each a few further observations, and the House divided : For the Motion 17—Against it 49—Majority 32. THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. THURSDAY, APRIL 16. PRICE OF SOCKS cHli DAY Al* ONE. O'CLOCA: Bank Stock 223—India Stock 187 188 r tr Ct. Reduced 58f-4 per Cents 73i 74 • prr Ct. Cous. for money 604-1/0. for ate... 14 SS pe r t.lso.ll—scrlp if pre —Lang Ann,. Ist Etch. Bak par Its. pre.—Bonds 6s. 7s. pre....011111. 41 diu CA' . 11 :URE OF A FRENCH FRIGATE, IN THE WEST—INDIES. The Souritariterox frigate, of '32 gnus, Captain Sir J. L. Yto, has ciptured and carried in Morant's Bay, Jamaica, a large French frigate, of '44 guns, with a crew on board of 400 stamen and 300 sol. dit - rs, mostly Blacks 4 They formed part of an expe dition fitted out by CHRISTOPHE against PETION. Our Readers already know that St. Domingo has been long the scene of bloodshed, in cc nsequence of the feuds between the two rival Chieftains, and that hi therto the British Governmerit has kept aloof from all interference. It is probable, however, that this senconue will be followed up by some measures which will detach one of the parties at least, if not both, from the line of policy which the great insti gator of mischief, NAPOLEON, has dictated to them, by means of his emissaries. The slaughter on board the enemy's frigate was immense. The loss of the SOUTHAMPTON was only twelve in killed and wounded. The following is our Falmouth Correspondent's let ter on this subject " FALMOUTH, APLIL 13. Arrrived this day the ship Flora, Captain STOD. DART, from Jamaica, in 55 days : she brings an ac count of the Capture of the Ameythyst, of 40 guns, belonging to CHRISTOPHE, having on board 400 men (her crew) and 300 troops, going against PETION. by his Majesty's ship SOUTHAMPTON, of 32 guns, Captain Sir J. L. YEO. She was commanded by a Frenchman. It appears that Captain Ygo hailed to know to what nation she belonged, but could get no satisfactory reply ; on firing a shot it was immediately returned, and an action commenced, which lasted two hours, when she struck, having carried away her masts. The Amethyst had 350 (principally Blacks) killed and wounded ; among the former is the French Captain. The SOUTHAMPTON had 12 killed and wounded. After the capture ;:aptaid YEo landed all the crew and troops at St. Domingo, and arrived at Morant Bay, in Jamaica, with the frigate. A corvette and brig were in sight at the commencement of the acticn, but made off."' In front of Picurina, where Earl WELLINGTON has now advanced his batteries, is a strong position, in tersected by the roads to Seville, Merida, and Oli venza ; and it is there Earl Wellington will meet the French army, should any of their Generals endeavour seriously to relieve the place. It is evident that Earl WELLINGTON would not have placed his whole army on the south bank of the Guadiana, at this season much swollen by the rains, had he not been aware of the difficulty the French would have of concentrating their forces from the north and south in the time Earl WELLINGTON calculated upon the reduction of Badajoz. Letter from a British Officer, dated Camp before Badajoz, March 26, 1812: " Unrropitious as the elements were, and badly as we com menced, we have had brilliant success hi the siege—the result of their sortie rather damped our French friends; the business of last night will be a con plefe damper to them. Last night, abou , nine o'clock, Marshal Beresford's own regiment, the Connaught Rangers, and the 21st Portuguese, attacked and escaladed Fort Picurina, a most important out-work in front of the centre of the town. The garrison immediately fired their rockets, it was an swered from the town by a constant tinging of bells and alarm beats of the drum. Nothing, however, stopped our brave Hiber nians and Portuguese; they got over the walls, killed and took prisoners the garrison of 300, not a man escaping. The French Commandant, a Lieutenant-Colonel, fell alive into our hands.— Our loss, as was to have been expected, was severe, about 200 killed and wounded, in the - number 8 officers. The conduct of this fine affair was given to General Kempt, and no man could have conducted it more ably. His Aid-de-camp was killed, and the life of this invaluable officer was more than once in imminent dang er. " Fortunate it is that Lord Wellington decided in making the attack last night, mines were preparing every where, which in another night would have been completed ; and if sprung would have occasioned the loss of perhaps all our little force, and de feated our purpose. The garrison appeared as if panic-struck, and hardly fired a shut from the town—they have since resumed courage. We are busy in erecting a breaching battery in front of the fort we have taken, with 7 large guns. We shall batter the walls from it, and attempt a breach; but it is said that Phillip pon, who is one of the ablest French engineers, is building a wall half way in the town, and that if we make a bieach and storm' we shall have another town and wall to storm and take. " A. any rate, under the most fortunate circumstat,ces, with Lord Wellington's unrivalled abilities, and even if Messrs. Su cher, Marmont, Sonic and Co. should not advance, it will be a fortnight before we can be iu possession of the place. " General Leith invests the rlace on the Elves side of the Gau diana, with the Stb division, 11th and 45th regiments, and two Portuguese regiments. 1, I have just seen a letter of the t3d, from an Officer of Sir Thomas Graham's Staff—be, with Sir Rowland Hill and Sir Stapleton Cotton, has been scouring the country with the army of observations they made a few prisoners, but the French fled in every direction.-1 he French head-quarters were by this ac count at Zalamer, a centrical positiGn on the road to Cordova, where troops may be collected from the North or South, and where Ma It KO wr,SucuLT, and .Fou LT will most probably unite their forces to endeavour to drive us again across the Guadiana. But I Lope, that Lord WILLI NOTO N, as at Ciudad, will be before band with them, and take Badajoz before they can come up.— The army is in the most healthy state and in the highest spirits, It is impossible to describe the joy which all classes of people in this country (Spain) evince at the prospect of being freed from French oppression, or bow kindly they welcome us as their deli verers. At Santa Martha the women laughed and wept by turns as they related their past misfortunes, or bailed the moment of being relieved by them. They ran out of their houses to meet and strove who should be foremost to induce us to enter, bring ing straw for our horses, and producing their little stock of pro visions, which they invited us to partake of in the kindest man ner, assuring us of the pleasure it gave them to share with the English the little which they had been taking so much pains to save from French rapine. We have received the same kind treatment in all the other villages, and on the whole I never wit nessed so general a feeling of real sasisfaction.—Poor people, I hope we shall be able to protect them." ANOTHER LETTER, DATED MARCH 27. " While the siege . of Badajos is carried on by the 3d, 4th, and sth divisions of infantry, coder Lord Wellington's immeel:e command, Sir Thomas Graham has advanced with the lit, 6.h, and 7th divisions, to Fuentas del Macula, communicating with Sir Rowland Hill, undtr whom the remainder of the army coatr the operations of the besiegers. Here the British are much bet ter received than formerly by the Spaniards, who have had a 3, e cimen of French amity, and can now form a just estimate of their generous and powerful ally. The British and Portuguese force in the field, are fully 40,000, exclusive of the besieging army. The French cavalry k done up, while those of the allies is in the highest condition, and the Earl of Wzmaxtrron is now stronger in that arm, than at any former period." RIOTS. We are concerned to state, that the public van. quillity of the country has again been disturbed in various quarters. Feeling minds must regret the cause, while they lament the excesses committed by the ignorant —excesses which must ultimately not only increase the price of provisions, but prevent their 'regular supply, an d t h us augment t h e m i ser i es o f t h e I middling and labouring classes. Let us hope that the better informed among these (tor many of them are well informed) will exert themselves to repress that spirit of insubordination among their fellow workmen which is calculated only to spread misery and desolation through the happiest country in Eu roye. In every other State on the Continent, scar city is experienced at the present moment ; but in no country are similar exertions made to relieie the suf ferers. Insubordination and riot, in a moment of ge. neral calamity, is neither more nor less than rebellion against HEAVEN.—The following letters contain the particulars of these tumults : " CHESTER, APRIL 14. " With grief I inform gnu, that in this county we are threatened with scenes of riot and disorder, occa sioned by the distress experienced among the lower orders from want of employment and the high price of provisions. Two attempts have lately been made in Stockport—one in Spencer and Co.'s in Hillgate ; it is a weaving factory of vast extent, where the work is wholly done by children. Part of a window was taken out, and several torches were put in. ) The flames were beginning to make their appearance, when a woman happened to discover them and gave the alarm. In Stockport threatening letters have been sent to different people, signed Ned Ludd. On Saturday night, the 4th instant, a ball was fired at the proprietor of a factory, where the looms are worked by power, while sitting in his own house; and the same night another factory of the same descrip tion was assailed with stones, by which the windows were broken." " STOCKPORT, APRIL 14. " We are extremely concerned to state, that the discontents of the weavers in and about Stockport, broke out in acts of alarming violence on Tuesday last. The immediate cause is said to be the extreme apathy of the masters to the cry for an advance of wages ; for when a meeting of Manufacturers was called for this purpose, only three or four indivi viduals attended, and these were in possession of factories where the weaving was performed by Ma chinery, or what is there called, " Power Lfionis," consequently interested in the rise of manual la bour. Letters received this morning, state, that the dwelling-house of Peter Marsted, E,q. has been attacked, and the whole of the furniture de stroyed. The house of Mr. Goodair, and also the factory had been attacked, the furniture burnt, and the power-looms destroyed. The houses and facto. ries of Messrs. Hindley and Bradshaw, Mr. W. Rat. cliff, Messrs. Bently, and Co. had suffered conside rably, and as it is well known that several private meetings of the weavers had taken place, and that the request for the assistance of the military from Man chester had been refused, Colonel CLAY giving for answer—that he could not; consistently with his duty in protecting Manchester, afford them any. The ut most consternation prevails throughout this populous district." " LEEDS, APRIL is. 41 On the night of Saturday last we had warm work in this neighbourhood. The Cropper:, (other wise the Luddite:) assembled to the number of from ISO to 200 men, with an intent to destroy Cart wright's cropping machines at Rawfold, not far from this town, and proceeded to break open the doors, but without effect, as they, as well as the windows, were extremely well secured with iron bars, and every precaution taken to frustrate their attempts. Cart wright is a resolute man, and having reason to be lieve that his property would be attacked some night when he least expected it, took the resolution of sleep ing in the mill every night, with a little garrison consisting of six men. At the time the attack was made, two of his chosen band refused to fight, and the contest commenced with an inequality of force of five men against 150. Firing was kept up on both sides for a considerable time, and as it will appear not without effect. Cartwright and his party fired 14.0 times from the windows; some of the Luddites were killed, and several wounded. I have seen two of these deluded men dead, who have fallen a sacri fice to their temerity. Another is reported to have since died of his wounds; and how many more are wounded, remains to be known. Cartwright and his men were so well protected behind the walls, that they escaped unhur: ; but they frequently exposed t4emselves, and fought bravely. Mr. Cartwright and his guard keep on duty every night, lest the attack should be renclred." " SHEFFIELD, APRIL 14. 4 , I am sorry to Infiniti you, that the spirit of riot and disorder has spread to this populous neighbour. hood. Secret, discontents and complaints on the sub ject of the high price of provisions and the want if employment, have been long gathering, and the storm has at length burst. This forenoon a numerous as semblage of theimpulace men, women and children, took place in the principal streets of the Town. The leaders of the mob held a few minutes consultation (for they seemed to act , on some previously concerted plan), and the whole body then proceeded, with vio lent exclamations, to the Town Magazine, which they immediately forced open, and carried off or destroyed, in a few seconds, the whole of the arms and ammu nition, &c. on which they could lay their hands. No attempt whatever was made by any of the mob to win themselves, which is a circumstance for which we have, pmbably, much reason to be thankful. " No time was lost on the parts of the Magistracy to quell the tumults. After, every possible exertion was made to soot!' the populace by means of expostu lation and entreaty, and the people seeming determi• ntd not to disrer e, the military quartered i the town were called out, and they now remain under arms, expecting every moment to be ordered to charge through the streets. " All is such bustle and confusion around me that I scarcely know what I am doing, but I shall keep my letter open to the last moment ; I am not with- I out Ipprehensions that the windows of the room where lam sitting will be demolished op firedetito. • " &ETHIC O P CLOCE.—Dragoons ate gall ping into, the town from all quarters, and forming in the mar ket place. 66 HALP•PAST EIGHT o'ctoot.—The uproar from the arrival of soldiers, horse and foot, still continues. Cannon planted, loaded, in front of the window. A dreadful night expected, but a more dreadful Satur day, that being market-day. The house is so busr that I cannot get pen or ink—have written thereinto in pencil." " TRURO, CORNWALL, APRIL 13. a We have lately been thrown into some confu sion by the ascent of several thousand miners from their subterraneuus abode, impelled by the calls of hunger to a temporary breach of order. It was truly a distressing sight to see so many poor fellows loudly demanding bread, and declaring that they had not sufficient sustenance to enable them to carry on their laborious employ. A regiment of Militia (the Bre. con) marched towards Redruth, but the voice of the Magistrates, aided by the general expression of the public sent;ment, had been found sufficient to pre. vent disorders. In the mean time the utmost exer tions are making to obtain supplies of corn and pota. toes from other counties, and economy is now the order of the day in Cornwall. The Attornies in body have published their determination to discon tinue the use of pies, custards, puddings, &c. in their families ; and, in fact, every thing is doing in Corn wall that can be done to husband the stock in hand. Of one thing you may be sure, nothing is to be ap prehended from our Miners on the•score of disaffec tion : they are rough, hardy, untaught—but nothing except the last calls of starvation will drive them w even a temporary insubordination." N.dr4L INTELLIGENCE. FALMOUTH, APRIL 13. The Manchester packet, Captain ELPittmarrosts, had arrived P t Jamaica. Arrived here this day this ship Success, Captain Itictiminsoer, from Liverpool and the LINNET (cutter brig) Lieutenant TRACEY. YARMOUTH, APRIL 14. Yesterday afternoon arrived here, from a cruise, the Aouttoz frigate; and, from Sheerness, the Caro TAN sloop of uar, and rem.tin with the SoLzamr and PINCHER.—The CHANTICLEER has sent in here a Danish galliot, laden with sundries.—Wind variable. PLYMOUTH, APRIL 14. Came in the Acme from Rio Janeiro in 91 days ; left at Rio Janeiro Admit., 1 De Cohstcv, in the F. u. ; also a frigate and the following merchant. men ;—The Betsey, Forth, and Eolus, ut London ; and the Hazard, of Edinburgh—they were waiting for cargoes. The OCEAN, of 93 guns, will sail in a day or two to take the trade bound to the Mediterra• aean.—Wind Easterly. PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 15. Nothing arrived to-day. Sailed his Majesty's ship QUEEN for Plymouth. Came into harbour his Mae jesty ship SCARBOROUGH. — Wind Easterly. DEAL, APRIL 15, His Majesty's ships THESEUS and nuNcAst. of 74 guns each, are now, S P. M. getting under weigh s to join Sir R. STRACHAN. The ACTIVE cutter has also sailed for the same purpose ; the OLYMPIA cut. ter sails this morning on a cruize ; the VIPER cutter is now getting under weigh to convoy the trade to Portsmouth.—The COURAORAUX, ORION, MAR% and ARIEL, will sad for the Baltic, if the wind is favour. able, to-morrow morning. The enemy's flotilla at Calais are dismantled ; the Boulogne flotilla, forty. five in number, are under orders-for Cl:eibourgh, if our cruizers will allow them to go.—Wind East. LEITH, APRIL is. The NlOlll INGA LE sloop of war sailed from Lei:h Roads on Saturday afternoon, with a convoy of two vessels fur Gottenburgh. The Fear= sloop of war sailed in the evening for Sheerness. The intelligence which we communicated in our Second Edition of Tuesday, of a nztval engagemeit in the Adriatic is confirmed, with the agreeable ad dition that the French man of war, instead of being beat off, was actually captured by the British frigate. Her name is the Rivoli, of 80 guns. By the latest accounts it appears that no material alteration has taken place with the Scheldt fleet ; nine sail of the line remain there as first reported. The Teems has just sailed for our fleet off Flushing. Admiral YOUNG, whose flag is on board the Palms or WALES, at Deal, was expected to sail thi s d a y, and take with him the VALIANT and CHRIsTIAN VII. Captain BALL has superseded Captain Bow in the command of the CHRISTIAN VII. at Deal. The nine line•of-battle ships in the .Scheldt have each ship, including seamen and troops, eleven hun. dred men on board I Report in Franc: is at present silent as to the% destiny. Yesterday, a Court of Directors was held at the Eta-India House, when the follov►ing Commanders took leave of the Court, previous to departing for their respective destinations, viz. captain W. PATERSON, of the Thomas Grenville, for Madeira, Ceylon, and Brag& Captain D. Bowman, of the Diana, for Batavia. Captain C. H. Hewett, of the Aletaatkr, fur hiadoira, Bengal, and Benooolen. Captain C. B. TARBOTT, of tht Apollo, for Bengal direct. The QUEEN and PIUNCEUES arrived at Wihdsor Castle from London on Tuesday evening. The PRINCE REGENT took an airing yesterday on horseback. The Duke of YORE held a Military Levee on Tues day, at his Office in the Horse Guards, previous to his Royal Highness going to dine with the Pitmen REGENT. The Rev. JAMIE KNOWS, B.D. Fellow of Linco l College, Oxford, is appointed Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of CLARENCE. A warm debate occurred , in the Quarter As. sembly of the Corporation of Dublin on the 10th inst. on a motion for granting the Freedom of the City to Major O'DoNooitua, who acted as Captain Older Colonel Saintarrr in the defence of Tarifa...-. This was strongly opposed on the ground of hisbeing a Papist. An amendment was moved and carried' that the word " thanks" should be substituted for ," freedom.' The petition of the Board of Aldermen, against the Popish claim wat adopted by a majority.