Star. — London, England, 1812-02-11 00:00:00

Graham, and tht rest of the Officers, &c. &c. and to • the British and Portuguese Engineers and Astillery, in resolutions, the same as those passed in the House at Commons ; which were all agreed to neon. Lortis!:ip to lc occasion to notice the death of Major-General Niackinniin, on whose merits as a sol .dier, he bestowed a warm eulo7ium, and whose me mory deserved a monument equal to his justly-ea:ncd fa.me.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. A Mcuage from the Lords announced, that their I ord4ldps bad agreed to the Bills paced by tile House, for the better ar rangement of the Royal Household, and the resumption of the Royal Authority. I he East India Lean Regulation Bill was read a second time, and committed foe Thursciai next, and ordsrcd to be printed. tue n.nt.on of Mr. Pil4:4xi.t, the Accounts respecting the Revenue of Ireland, presented to the House on Thursday List, were order, d to be printed. Mr. LOCKHART postponed his notica of motion relative to the Americ,n Sufferers, from Wednesday to Thursday next. Mr. ROSE brc tight in a Bill for the better Regulation of Pilots, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time. the preceding year, the French Army appeared be fore the place more numerous in point•of force than my Lord Wellington's army. Their army consisted of tried soldiers, and of the most skilful engineers.— General Massena set about taking it on the 15th of June, on with day he broke ground, and continued his approaches and batteries until the 14th July, on which day he took it, making a period of thirty days consumed in the attack, whereas in the short space of 12 days, the British Commander compelled a more numerous garrison to surrender..—( Hear, hear.)- 1 hese facts simply detailed would speak more forci bly to the meths of the service than any panegyrics which he could utter.— (Hiar, hear.)—The House would therefore duly estimate the merits of the whole army. The bare narration of the whole transaction would convince them that that; was one of those cases which it was proper to distinguish by the Thanks of Parliament, and therefore he should move, " That the nanks of the House be given to General Lori Viscount liVelliiikkon, K. U. fur the sk,ill, decision, indefatigable ciet twins, and consummate jit.lgment, manifested oy him in the siege and capture of Ciuda.l Rodrigo, by which that important fortress was wrested from the euemy in the short space of ele ven day," THANKS TO LORD VISCOUNT WELLINGTON. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to move a vote ef thanks to General Lord Viscount On the question being put, General TARLETON rose, to express the satis faction which he felt upon the occasion. He had never given a vote inure cheerfully ; it came from the bottom of his heart. The brilliancy of the affair which the House was called upon to iecognize l and crown with its thanks, had never been exceeded.— Wellington, and the Officers and Soldiers under his command, for the gallantry displayed in the siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo. The Right Hon. Gentleman cle,erved, that in bringing forward the motion, of which he had given notice, for the pur- Oese of inducing the House to take into its consider htion the eminent cervices of Lord Wellington, and the brave army under his command, it would be un necessary for him to offer many observations. The House must be aware of the importance of the object attained, and of the merits of Lord Wellington— both ware well deserving the marked approbation of Parliarnne—(ltem, hear, hear!) —With respect to the ep'nion (if any did prevail), of the propriety of conferring the thanks of Parliament upon so many many occasions, he thought the House, whatever they might think in :5 doubtful case, would in the present instance conceive that the atchievement in the capture of Oudad Rodrigo, was of such a nature, both in its operation and ultimate success, as not only to reflect the greatest honour on the skill, the adroitness, the ability, and the gallantry r.f the Com mander in Chief, but also on the bravery, the zeal, and the promptitude displayed by those under his c -mrnand—( Hear, hear.) --The eallon:ry which had so often been disclosed in the Penh)sul.t, had received additional lustre by this bri!tiare and dirtingleshrei exploit; it had raised the character of the British arms to a height which crowned them with the most transcendent hear.) --It was a service which deserved the particular notice of the House, in so ite• as it respected the opera tions, and the circumstances resulting therefrom.— The Melee we;e informed of the nature of the trans a tines which led to the fall of the eine. On the Bth January, Lord Wellington having broken ground before the city, was enabled thereby completely to st the place, and on the same day, having added ickrably to h s strength by redoubts, and by a of batteries, fortified by palisadoes, which ren al the approaches more difficult, seized the Con : of St. Francisco. The attack, which was made to most callant and determined manner, was sue 1-te was seconded by Lieuttinant.C.Lnel !Vane, who, ou that occasion, most ably assisted he siege. in this manner the operations were td on, till the nights of the 13th and 14th, when Convent of Santa Cruz was taken by Lieutenant terel Graham. The seizure of these, which corn icated with the body of the place, was of the ,est importance. On the night of the 141.14 the vent of Sr. Francisco was taken by Major.Gene e`olville. • From the 15th to the 19th the works irrying on were considerably advanced, two breaches 're made which had been thought impracticable. the army had not made such advances as were thought necessary to justify the assault, it W2S .ommenced. - On the evening of the 18th, it was aveyer determired to attempt to take the place by tuft. Accordingly the attack was made in five se-, tee columns. The two light columns were con ted by Lieutenant-Colonel O'Toole, of the 2d tuguese caaadoees, and by M , rjer Ridge, of the British regiment, to protect the brigade under 'or-General Mackinnon, which formed the third tmn, tie whole being under the command of, etenant-General Picton and Brigadier-General 1 ik. The attacks thus commenced, they followed atack of Brigadier-General Pack, with the fifth tmn, which was intended merely as a false one, rpletely succeeded; for Brigadier Pack had con ted his attack into a real one, and shortly after storm bad Commenced, the enemy surrendered. service had to 1 tment the loss of Major-General' :kintion, who, unfortunately for the country, fished by the explosion of a rifetgazine. The. House I id have no hesitation in conceiving that the loss' so valueble an Officer would be severely felt, and the Vote of Thanks had passed, it was his inten to me ve an Address to his Majesty, praying that teotild be graciously pleased to 'direct that a Monu-i rt be creced to the memory of that gallant Officer f.ir, hear.) He vets an Officer of the most estimable lities, both in public and private, whose virtues whose abilities were the themes of admiration I applause.—(.ther, hear.) —In effecting this ;m -eant service, Major• General Cranfurd was severe- i wounded, and it would be long before the coun-1 • would derive the benefit of his assistance. Ma- 1 .General Vandeleur was also wounded. Indeed persons of common observation, the transactions ich led to this brilliant result would appear very gular, when the opportunity was afforded of corn ring them with others of a similar nature, even to', `itary persons they would be exhibited in the same it.. It did happen that the history of the war trnished an instance of a singe conducted against same place by the enemy, to Great Brit'aire; the use therefore would be enabled to enter into that )mparison, and when he had noticed the proceed igs of the enemy on that occasion, be in a situation ire fully to appreciate the value of the services of ird Wellington and his braVe Army. Lord Wel- Igton invested Ciudad Rodrigo, the place having received very considerable accessions of strength, 3tll in point of force and of works. - He set himself bout the siege, and in twelve days had completed works necessary to carry it on— made the attack, and took it by storm. Now mark the contrast, In Being the oldest General Officer in the House, he might be allowed to offer his tribute of applause to exploits such as those which peculiarly mArked the character of the country.— ( llear,4ear.)--He scarcely knew which to admire most, the skill and intrepidity of the Generals and Officers, or the br every and dis- cipline of the troops ; all were alike entitled to the gratitude of -the House—( Hear, hear.) — He would defy any nation to produce troops so steady in point of discipline ; so prompt in obedience of order, and so d:stingoished in the field. Lord Wellington had truly stated the distinguished manner in wl ich the troops were i.d on. In all operations of the kind, which-were fat-loin hopes, volunteers were demand ed. On this occasion, 330 were the number wanted. In less than a quarter aan hour, so enterprising were the men, that out of two regiments, there were not less than 700 volunteered.—( Hear, hear.') —It would need not his panegyric, for the exploit would stand in the pages of history as one of the most brilliant which the world ever saw recorded. The combined eloquence of the House could not point out an ex plott more gallant ; it was one which had bound t round the hi ows of our brave countrymen—a chaplet I which wont] be immortalized by fame, when history told to posterity rift': operations before Ciudad Ro t drirto.— ( Hear, hcir.) Mr. c. ADAMS cordially agreed with the mo tion. He hoped some additional honour would be c nferred on Lord Wellington. He trusted the Right I Honourable mover would give the House some blot that such honour was intended to be conferred. Sir H. MONTGOMERY wished to take the op rortunity to correct some misrepresentation which had been made of him, when Thanks were voted to Lord Minto, but was called to order ; his observa tions bcin!.; irrelevant to the present subject. Mr. BUTLER also cordially concurred in the Vote of Thanks. He regretted, however, that the Thanks of the House had not been voted to Lieut.- General Hill, and the Officers serving under his com mand. Mr. ARBUTHNOT &'served, that the name of one Officer engaged in this brilliant affair had not been mentioned, on account of his tank being interior to that rank which came under the particular notice of Parliament. He meant Major Napier, who had not only bee:r wounded on this, but former occasions, when dis inguishing himself in the service of his coun try—(Hear, hear!)—lt was his pride to have served under Sir J. Moore. That gallant Officer (Major Napier) had three brothers equally meritorious in the service of their country. General Lovrus would not detain the House from -coming to what he was sure must be an unani mous vote ; for the House must see the great advan tages which would result to the nation in its military capacity, by the exploits as set forth in Lord Welling ton's detail of the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. Whether in the open field, or in a regular siege, the British arms were now brought to that 'perfection, that sys tem of discipline that would enable them to cope with, if not to precede, every ether military nation on earth. To Lord Wellington much of this was due.— All his arrangements were so admirable, every de partment of his army, so judiciously, so well filled— 'there was so much confidence reposed in him by that army ; that whether he acted upon the defensive, or whether he led his troops to the attack, the same secu rity, the same confidence in the results, rested in the soldier's mind. (Hear, hear.)' He considered the event of the siege as a national honour, by the Vote of this House, conveying the general voice of the na tion to Lord Wellington's army, and that it must make a lasting impression -upon mankind, and would be an incitement, an inducement to young officers to imitate so bright an example. (Hear, hear.) The motion was then agreed to nem. con. The following votes were then moved by the CITA te cEt.con of the EXCHEQUER, and agreed to with equal unanimity : Thanks to Lieutenant Ceneral Thomas Graham, the second in Command ; to Lieutenant General Thomas Picton, to Major General Colville, to Major General Craufurd, to Major General Vandeleur, and to Brigadier General Pack,in the Parruguese ser vice, for their exertions, ekill, and bravery, in the operations against Ciudad Rodrigo. 'I banks to the Officers who so nobly led the Allied British and Portuguese troops in the assault on the toth. Thanks to the Officers of the Corps of Engineers and Artillery, for the professional ability and indefatigahle zeal displayed by them. Thar the House does most highly acknowledge and approve of the distinguished zeal, bravery, and discipline of the Non-Com missioned Officers and Soldiers of the British and Portuguese forces employed in the siege• and capture of Ciudad Itodnyo. That the House does most highly acknowledge and appi tree of the other General °incase . Nona Commissioned Officers, and Soldiers, British and Portuguese. e:nployed in the army under Lord Wenn:gran, but not in the siege, fur the activity, patience, and perseverance manifested by them. That an Humble Address he presented to his Royal lithness the Prince Regent, praying that he will graciously order a monu ment to be erected in the Cathedral Church . of St. Paul, to the memory of Major General Henry Mackinnon, who ft II gloriously in I adiag his troops to the attack on the 19th of January, and as suring his Royal Highness that the House will make goad the expence of t'he same. This *resolution was also carried unanimously, a:..d of the meets to Foreign wesestest.h}:uvicr.nothtiaxt shdeissosed. ;If loy' le el i e W how i ev a e a r d , i it ti appeared to be reduced t iti o .l. t in l th 9,oo e i l ; the Speaker was directed to communicate those reso- Ilutions to Lord Wellington. A Member wished to know whether there was any and he really thought some explanationridleinwasaryddiue.esbutwxwtpeo„.4,2t.. intention of carrying Lao execution a vote of that House on a subject where moil variations of -- " 4 House 18 years ago, for erecting a monument to the tthooekirpalattecne.tiTonh,e was st that td of extraordinary w ex ! t i r ic a h o memory of Admiral Lord Rodney ? This, doubtless, was Mr. LONG replied, that in consequeuce subject having been mentioned ii the House last Sta. seloect of considerable delicacy ; and het i g e t II sican, it had been begun, and considerable progress bably be told that it belonged to the e ery lett , had been already made in it. secre t service se it r u v . i a c s e e m xp o e n n e d y e of d CIVIL LIST EXPENDITUII. Mr. EDEN rose to make his promised motion.— was aware of the force of this reasoning, and d ie t 'He conceived that when increases were demanded to might be both unjust to individuals and he. • . the Civil List which had formerly been granted, the the interests of the courery, to publi s h in what in appeal should rather be mede to the justice t;ian the these sums were disposed of: but he must be e at s generosity of the House. The fund which was origi- ed to observe, that a very large sum was annual' ' , nally granted to the King for life, was granted both proptiated nut of the s u pplies , for the purps se '• iii‘ at k :inr the Royal Household and the Civil List. By cret service money ; and was it to be borne, the d , - ;granting it for life, it was intended to make the King wane sore of expenditure shotild also be mixed • .up s e e independent of Parliement op this poiet, and the al- the various charges . on the Civil List r evenue . * e. 1 lowance was supposed to be amply %efficient for the should be most unwilling to ex imin e a el l t , e e ..' purposes for which it was granted . It appeared to City into those disbursements to Foreign Me l e e , 44. ' h him, that it was the duty of those who managed this titularly Where they nety have consist e d in p, Civil List to square their expences to the grant, and for secret service : but still it would be a fair eleee ' that it Was not the duty of Parliament to keep pace of enquiry for a Committee, what receipts:lnd s , iic i: with them in their extravagance. It was possible that ers hail been given in to the Treasury; a n d ,eg inare the oxpences of the Crown might have uecessarily in- why two services had been mixed up some ass creased, either on account of the depreciation of the secret service money charged on the cara - L, *tie currency, or the rise of prices, or some other red- so large an annual sum was appropriated b y p .e. son—but it appeared to him, that in such cases Par- Limon for that very purpose. But the sa nareeet h liament ought to he consulted. It was fir Parliament of delic;cy and danger as to any explanations a b et to see whether the grant for the Civil List had been secret service money would not extend to the e ss i pee well managed, or otherwise, and whether any in- expenses of Foreign Ministers. It swede b e eee. crease was necessary.—When Mr. Addington thought sary for the Committee to examine uhy lathe eau it necessary to move for an increase to the Civil List, had been given for the outfit of some Ministers ego he saw the propriety of appointing a Committee to had never gone out to the place of their destine s . enquire into the subject. in 1801, the augmentation One Right Hen. Gentleman (Mr. Arbuthnot) he* , 'made to the Civil List was very considerable. Sixty .on a former night expressed his williegos s to se a thousand pounds per annum was added ; and charges every explanation with regard to the expences ree s , which formerly affected it to the amount of 2138,000 embassy on which he had been employed. The se were taken away from it, making altogether an addi- planation he trusted to he:tr that night ; for really be tion of near £200,000 per annum. it, notwithstand- I could not see at present why a sum el more e n ing this great addition to the Civil List, the expences 1 £•10,000 should stand against that Right He m G r . . had since far exceeded the grant, he thought it highly I tleman's rame, as the amount of extreenli wry d e , probable that those funds were not managed with i bursements on his embassy to Constentinope e a e that economy they ought to be managed with. The why it was at all necessary to build a palace Ir to Civil List Establishment was divided into nine classes. lhitish Legation at that caiihal, which shine! s a e The first class was, salaries to the rnyal family. This £26,000. The next charge was th it of coutin g ee class was not stilljoct to increase or diminution with- ; expences of messengers. This, in MOO, was se m out the knowledge of Parliament. The second class tiated at £1,500, but had gricluslly inmeased o se. was for the Speaker and the Judges. The third class ! tween £t,003 and ,E 5,000. He crusted the he had, was for foreign Ministers ; and the expense of this' upon the whole, established safficient ground ;et to class was estimated in 180 t at £112,000. The esti- Howe going into an enquiry on this subject. Th e e mate, however, upon this point was seldom correct, was every appearance that in the course of no 1o( as it was always varying with our varying relations period, the House would have to settle the mooed with foreign Powers. It was in the fourth class that I the Civil List. This was an event to be looked foe the most material excess took place. Although the i ward to in the common course of nature ; and, thee, estimate was £1'72,000, in the vete , next year the ex- ! fore, the House should nat be unprepared to cornetist , pence was £291,000. Mk class of expence was the' right determination upon it. On all these grounds payment of approved bills of tradesmen and artificers, ; he should now move, " That a Select Committed, i and fell principally under the departments of the I appointed to c..nsider of the charges on the Civil Lit I Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward. It was Revenue, and deliver in a Rept rt thereon, togettin attempted to reduce the annu il expenditure in the with their observations to the House." latter department to £6.5,000, but the very next year Mr. ARBUTHNOT rose for the purpose ofee , it was more than double that sum. It was provided ! plaining or the House the nature of the extraordinary in the Act of 1752, that no expellee exceeding £lOOO I disbursements which his embassy at Conon:hop sh uld be incurred in the Lord Chamberlain's de- ! had occasioned. He must first, however, be tome. permute, wahout an estimate previously preseeted led to say a few words on the inconvenience of subject. to him and tbe Lords of the Treasury. Nevertheless i ing the trans fictions of foreign Ministers to the Mee 'we find, as the first item in the account, £3523 f o r a , tigation and disclosure of a Committee. Thetis's* Gothic entrance to the Tieasury, which is a building were sufficiently aware of the injury which thapatile ' (as every body knows) that has no style or character service had at times sustained, from the puertie ILA architecture aheut it. For repairs atWindsor only, which Parliament had been prevailed upon to ghee the charge for four years had been se.ss,ooo;—and diplomatic correspondence. The Riebt Hon. Gee furniture forWiedsor only, had in the same time been tleman here mentioned an instance of this sort fit* , charged at £76,(X)9. These undoubtedly appeared chief which had happened in his own persenal ass. very huge sung; : but be might be told,•thetWindsor I rience. He wits once employed on a wry important beiag peculiarly the Royal residence, the expences ! mission to a Foreign Court, where the Ambissadv could not be measured on a common scale. If Wind.' of another Allied Power WAS on the TIVII friendly sor, however, was the royal residence, Kensington I terms with him, and in the habit of communicatise WAS not ; for the expences of Kensington, he saw ' the dispatches of his Court, from which he (Mr. tie £25,000 charged, and for what ? It was not for derived considerable Convenience, as he was not Mee building a house suitable to the residence of one of habit of receiving such regular instructions fromes the junior branches of the Royal Family, but merely British Court as this Minister was from his own. The for repairing and altering the suite of apartments oc- dispatches which he (Mr. A.) transmitted to the N. cupied by the Duke of Kent. Sixteen thousands were , tish Government, contained the political and dolome also expended in altering and repairing apartments i tic information which this Envoy of a friendly Oen for the Princess of Wales ; and, in addition to this, I communicated, and the views which his Ceurtentre there was a charge of £51,000 for furniture, making 1 tamed of the political situation of Europe. It so hap. in the whole a sum of £96,000, expended for repair. : pened, that these dispatches were published, in pursu ing and furnishing two sets of apartments. When ante of a vote of that House; and from that moment be considered that a liberal allowance was already ' this Envoy ofa friendly Power stated, that it was also. made to the junior branches of the Royal Family, lutely necessary forhimto refrain infuture tromgirise and that most of them hadalso lusfative appointments, ' any similar communication. It was difficult to male he thought that these sums were quite an extravagant foreign diplomatists understand the distinction whick• waste of the public money. The expence in the Lord ', took place here between public and private corresponds Steward's dep.utment had last year been considerably ; ence ; and it was quite evident, that this reltetantee • higher than the original estimate, although the last communicate information,--the natural effect d year was a year of affliction, and not a year of ban. , such publicity as that to which he had alludeikr (piecing in the Royal Houses. Although many of might in many instances have a most injurious elect those things t iken separately were hardly worth de. on the negociations of this country. No considerate tailing, yet when put together the amount was very would have again induced this Envoy to afford les serious. It might be said, that it was difficult to (Mr. A.) any confidential information, but a elm suggest reforms ; but it would not be difficult to carry promise that his name should not again appear in all into effect those principles of reform which were sug. public dispatches. He could also mention chewed gested in 1792, namely, supplying by contract in- an Henote able Gentlemen, formerly employed m a stead of purveyance, abolishing useless offices in the foreign Minister, who had been absolutely relused ee d* ' Household, and paying by salaries instead of perqui. sight of an important letter, on the very ground!' sites. He should just mention one great abuse on this country had made it dangerous to col remotely= this head :—The charge for candles alone was tweis:y its Ministers. Having offered these few obserrAil s thousand pounds ; and yet it might well be supposed on the subject of the secrecy in which diplomas; that the object of this illumination was not so much transactions should be kept, he should now beg lesee to administer satisfaction to the Royal Family by to explain as fully as possible the nature of do ez' this transient splendour, as to put money in the poc• pence' which he had incurred while Ambisladonn kets of those who had perquisites foam those candles. Constantinople, and which had been :eluded 100 2 In some departments no reform was necessary. None a variety of occasions. The whole amount of the sus could be better managed than thin of the Master of charged against Government by that embassy 1 111 the Horse, where no such increase of expence had £47,800. ss. BJ.; which was considerably large: l b° taken place as in most of the other departments.—The the amount at stated by the Hon. Gentlemin lll sixth headofexpenditureconsistedof pensions,butthese should account fer this charge under thiee heads; did not require any notice at present, as he believed Ist. The erection of the British palace et Con r, the whole of their amount did not exceed the sum tinople ; 2d. Extraordinary disbursements; ana ": which was fixed in Mr. Burke's Bill. Neither should The losses which he himself had sustained. Wit" he say any thing on the seventh and eighth classes of gard to the first of these heads, it WAS Well kilo expenditure under the Civil List Revenue, but pro- that hie Envoys of the Chief, and even of som e d ie , coed to the ninth class, which contained various items inferior powers of Europe, had palaces in Perk r svehl deserving the attention of the House. First, suburb of Constantino?le ; and it was only fittl there was, ureter the head of secret service money, an the rank which this country held in the estirnAti°J. expense amounting to no less than £20,000. Under the Porte, that a palace should alse be etetom the head of special service money for the home de- the British mission. During the embassy Ot,_ partment, there also appeared a very great excess of Elgin, the Porte, as a small mark of ensit . itw see. expense. The Committee which sat in 1781 had the distinguished favours which it had second 1 7 o complained greatly of the amount of this branch of this country, granted his Lordship an V) expense; but of late years it had increased in an ex- of ground for the erection of ibis palace. N s . 0 traordinary degree; Thus:—in 18(15 it amounted to ding was afterwards undertaken by Lord Eigill' do £12,000 ; in 1808, it had risen to so largea sum as a lath scale ; 'but it remained unfinished durnal i ;do 0 , 1 1 Pre' e ! ra wilim sha of confer rnany r( they mi,. present i capture both in i only to adroitne: ruander and the c -rnrnar so of ten addition exploit ; arms to most a servic the He tions, a The H( a tints January before t invest t! consickt chain of dcred tf vent of in them cessful. colborn in the eat the Con General munical prea:est Conven rol Colv carrying were m: As the then th( not corr bbwevei assault. partite ducted Portugt sth Bri Major.( column Lieuter Pack. the atta column complei verted 1 the sto The to Mackin pet ishei Would of so v after th tion to , he won trent b (Hear, qualitie and wf and ap portant ly woo try wo jor-Ce: to pers which s:tigult paring militar Fght. furnial the sai House tompA logs o: more I Lord receive both about the vv( and tc •