Star. — London, England, 1817-03-18 00:00:00

to his Majesty's possessions in the Mediterranean: — He sew no reason why this extension should not tab* place: it was a power already enjoyed by the other settlements of the Crown, and wits not calculated-to prove injurious to the interests of the Company. He should move, therefore, a Resolution, the import of which was, that it should be lawful to trade in British built ship from the Island of Malta and the Port of Gibraltar to an pliers hphe East Indi:s, except the _dominions of the Emperor of China. Mr. BROUGHAM doubted whether this measure "'Mild prove efficacious in relieving the Merchants in • the Mediterranean from the competition at the Ame rican trader. One American vessel had recently disposed ot 3000 pieces cf itankean, at the rate of 3s. • per piece. at Gibraltar, whilst in London they pro duced only Ss. 10d. Mr. ROIIINSON explained. After which the kesolutioa was read a second time, and the Report ordered to be received to-morrow. ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, to which the' Ordnance estimates were or dered to be referred. Mr. R. WARD said, it was his intention to move a vote on account, as had been done with regard to the army an,' navy estimates, and that no further supply should be granted at f resent for the service of .the Quittance department, than for the s x months ending on the 30th of June, 1817. He trusted that the accounts were not likely to give rise to much alter cation ; and he deemed it right to state to the House what had been the extent of the different reductions in this branch of the public expenditure. The charge for the ordinary service was this year £538,000, which was less than the former estim a t e b y the sum ot £135,000. The extraordinaries amounted to £211,000. leaving a reduction under this head of expeace of £104,000. The aggregate charge was £749,ooo—credit had been taken for £53,000. from the sale of horses and old stores. Here the Harrow able Gentleman entered upon a statement of the re duction in Ireland. The total amount of the whole erpence for the year, for Great Britain and Ireland, would be, in round numbers, iff94.2,000. In time of fall war, the number 'of men employed was 31,600. In 1815, this nuMbee was reduced to the extent of 3,800 men—in 1816 to that of 15,000 more f and the present establishment consisted only of £9,800. He should content himself at present with moving, 4C That a sum not exceeding £248,000, be granted to his Majesty for the service of the ordnance depart ' went, till the 30th of June, 1817." • Mr. BENNET said, it was not his intention to eater into the subject at any length on the present occasion, as an opportunity for doing that would hereafter occur. But he wished to allude to one subject. which he did not find included in the expendes either of the Ordinaries or Extraordinuries, he meant the expellee ineurted for the trigonometrical survey of Great Britain, under the direction of the Board of Ordnance. He understood it was Intended to • bring that forward under the Extraordinaries. Con netted with that subject he also wished to mention an advertisement, which he then held in his band, and which had astonished every one who bad read it. It purported to be issued' from the Board of Ord , nance, but he could hardly believe it, for it was Mare in the character of a petty, peddling tradesmin, • than in the spirit oh a great public Board. The object of it was to prohibit all persons from copying. re doming, or using any of the maps already finished; but, as the public money had defrayed me charges of preparing those maps, be thought they ought to be for public use, and the only way its which they could be available for general utility, was by reducing them, as their high price, being three or lour guineas each, must otherwise exclude them from the posses. Won ot any but the opulent. For example, it a per son wished to publish a map of Devonshire, he must publish it with all the errors of former maps, because he is not permitted to introduce the corrections made by the labours of this trigonometrical survey. He %nought such a narrow principle of conduct unworthy of a great nation like England. Mr. it. WARD said he was not aware of the ad. vertisement in question, but he was prepared to de.' fend every part of it. The Honourable Member was misinformed ass() the expenses incurred by this ter ' gonometrical survey being intended to be included tinder the head of the Ordnance Extraordinaries.— On the contrary, it was intended that the sale eit the • maps should defray their .expense, and that was the reason'why the property in them had been so care fully guarded. He was surprised, indeed, that the Honourable Gentleman, who was so zealous for economy in every branch of the public expenditure, should object to a proceeding which would save them from the necessity of recurring to the usual annual grant of £lO.OOO, for carrying on that undertaking. Mr. BENNET said be had been anxious for checking useless, not useful. expenses; and when the discussion upon the Ordnance Estimates came regu larly before the House, be wooldpoint out how that sum might be saved elsewhere, which was now re quired for this survey. He still contended that as the public mooey,hartpeid for what was done, the public ought Co have the folk use andbiaiiit of it. ' - Sir M. V. RIDLEY, alluding to dm first article in the Estimates, said, be wished to see a reduction made in the expellees incurred by the heads of the de partment, which amounted to above £43,000. He was also desirous of knowing what further charge bad been created by providing the Clerk of the Cheqike at Chatham, with a house I Mr. It..WARD said, that instead of the sum al luded to by the Honourable Baronet being incurred by the heads of the department, it was, ia fact, the tails of the department that had caused such an ex pence. In consequence of the greatly increased ea tent of the Ordnance woke, and the multifarious accounts which it beca4e necessary to keep, it bad Lem found impossible to do without a very large number cf clerks and subordinate officers at the T o wer and In Pall-mall, and it was chiefly to defray their salaries that the sum of "3,000 was required. With respect tothe accommodation provided for the Cl er k o f the dbeque at Chatham, it was only what the practice of the department bad sanctioned for the last hundred Oars. CALCRAFT was no, aware what compari son could be ma& between a state of war and peace; for when the reductions were spoken of. we were told I bow much alteration bad been made from what was the state of gie estimates in the time of war. lie did not deny that great reducti9ne had been made. 1 but still there was no comparison between'what was in war and what shnuldbe in peace. Mr. WARD said, every reduction would be made that was possible, and every attention should be paid, to that subject. After some words from Mr. BROVOII AM, MT. WA RD. and Mr. CALCKA FT, the Resolution was put and agreed to. The following sums were then voted, £4.5,000 for the expenses of the Ordnance in 1815, not pro vided for by Parliament.. 455,051 for similar expenses in 1816. set6,ooo for defraying eapenses of reduction to the 011 ice of Ordnance. £105,000 for Charges of the Ordnance for Superannuated and Half-pity Officers. Xi 5,000 for Charges to Superannuated Officers in respect to Civil Situations. £72p00 for the Service of the Ordnance for Ireland. £7,000 for Retired Officers of the late Irish Artillery and En gineers, and Pensions to Widows. £1,740 as a Cempensmion to Persons deprived of Offices. £25,031 for Superannuated Officers for loin. The House then resumed, and the Report was or dered to be received to-morrow. SPAN 1511 COLON lE2I. Mr. BROUGHAM wished to ask the Honourable Gentleman opposite (Mr. Goulburn), whether he had received ady account of a proclamation issued by the Governor of Trinidad, stating that Ferdinand had interdicted all intercourse with . the revolted pro vinces, not only as to trade, but even with respect to sending money thither? Mr. GOULBURN was not aware of any such proclamation having been issued. Mr.. BROUGHAM observed, that the official pro clamation was dated in 1815: he should' therefore move, that an humble Address be presented to the Prince Regent, praying that copies of all proclama tions by the Governor of Trinidad, issued since the Ist of January, 1814, respecting the intercourse be tween that island and the Spanish colonies, might be laid before the House. Agreed to. Mr. BROUG 11 A M wished to know what fate had attended the three unfortunate merchants from Buenos Ayres, who were restrained from leaving this country without the permission of the Spanish Ambassador ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that when the Right Honouiable Gentleman for the Home Department was present, he would be able to give an answer to the Learned Member. OOTTACIX TAX. • Lord A. HAMILTON rose to present a Petition from the Noblemen, Gentlemen, Freeholders, and Commissioners of Supply of the County of Lanark, praying for a repeal of the Cottage Tax, that tax, only 41. 6d. was oppressive in the extreme on the lower orders in Scotland, and besides, was generally m'ich in arrear. He could wish his Majesty's Minis ters would adopt some measure for its final abolition, as it was extremely oppressive. Sir R. FERGUSSON was of a similar opinion, and declared his decided conviction that there was not a tax which weighed more heavily on the poor than this one. Mr. FINLAY, from his local knowledge, was prepared to say, that of all the taxes laid on by Go vernment, this was one of the most oppressive. He had known the poor obliged to sell what cost them 2 1 25. to pay this 4s. 6d. He implored the Right Honourable Gentleman to consider what distress the poor had already to contend with, and to abolish at once this intolerable burden. Sir JOHN Nk.WYOKIC fully concurred in what had been said respecting the Tax. . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER protested against the idea of Scotland being exempt ed, if England continued to pay it. He would at tend to the subject_ as far as possible, but he could not consent to both Countries not being on an equal footing. • Sir G. WARRENDER suggested the propriety of his Right Honourable Friend (the ChAncellor of the Exchequer) paying some attention to it, and taking some measures to prevent the oppression of that heavy Tax. Lotd COCHRANE thought that much alteration was required not only in this, but in every other tax. Lord A. HAMILTON then gave notice, that, ' in a few days, he would move that all Papers rela tive to this subject should be laid on the table imme diately after the recess. • Mr. BENNET postponed his motion respecting the appointment of Mr. Harks, till Wednesday, the 23c1 of April. Mr. GOULBURN brought up an Account of all Offices held under the Crown in Colonies, pursuant to an Order of the House. The Mutiny Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. BENNET movel, that it be made an instruc tion to the Police Committee, to inquire, and report generally to the House, on the Laws relative to grant ing Licenses to Victuallers : which was agreed to. UR. MITT. Lord COCHRANE said, that he held in his hand a Petition from Mr. R. G. Butt, stating. that the fine of 81,000, which he had paid under a sentence of the Court of King's Bench, had not been applied to the an Of Government. He (Lord Cochrane), not being able to speak to this tact himself, had been that day to the. Pipe-Office, whittoka leaned, that no fine had been paid there by the regular Officer of the Crown-Office for some time past. If, however, the idea of its not having been properly applied was a delusion on the mind of the Emitioner, ha hoped the House would not reject his Petition without pro per inquiry, as he bad been deprived of his liberty for having published several hand-bills on the sub ject. It was highly necessary that some investiga tion should be made into the fact, in order that the public might know that no improper use had been made of the money. Be should move to-otorrow for an account of all Fines paid under sentences of Courts of Law, with their subsequent application. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would not then sera word on the motion which the Noble Lord intended to make ; but he desired to ob serve, that the facts mentioned in the Petition had been before him, and be found, that the Fine levied under the autho rity of the Court of King's Bench had teen duly applied. It was ridiculous to suppose, that any misapplication could have been made of a sum paid under the sentence of one of the Supreme Courts of Justice—(Hear. hear). The Petition was brought up, read, and ordered to lie on the Table. The other Orders of the Day being then disposed of, the Haase adjourned. , ST; PATRIWS Dan Yesterday the Anniversary Dinner of the Benevo :ent S iciety of St. Patrick was held 'at the City of Lond.in Tavern, Lora CASTLEIMAGH in the Chair. Abaut six &clock Mr. Moms O'Brites addressed the company, which was very numerous, and of the most respectable character, and said, that he had the happiness to inform them of Lord Castlereagh's arrival in the Committee Room. He could not re frain from observing that this was the first time they had ever had in the Chair an Irishman, and a Mini ster of the Country, at the same moment.— (Apitimur). As soon as the table was laid, the Band struck up, and the Stewards ushered in Lord Castlereagh, who wore the Order of the Garter, and a large shatnrock in the lappet of his coat. The Noble Chairman was accompanied by the Marquis of Downshire, the Mar. (psis* Headfort, the Earl of Darnley, Lord Arthur Hill, the Right Hon. John Philpot Curran, Mr. Massey Dawson, and several persons of the first rank and consideration, including a number of mer cantile Gentleinen in the City, who take an active past in the business of this benevolent Institution.— Tbi arrival of these distinguished personages was bailed with loud applause, and the Noble Chairman, as he passed along the room, acknowledged it with great affability. After dinner the children walked round the room in procession, carrying a standard, with the hill-length likeness of St. Patrick. When the cloth was removed, and Non NoLir Do ming was smog io a most applauded manner, by Ma. Taylor, Mr. Dignum, Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Hawes, &c. the Noble President gave the health of the King— drank with solemn reverence. Lord CASTLIERZAGH then stated, that he had to propose the health of the Illustrious Personage at the head of the Government, dear to Irishmen from many considerations, but with respect to that charity, as indeed to every charity in the numerous institutions of beneficence for which this country was pre-emi nently conspicuous, pre-eminently distinguished for his unceasing contributions and countenance—(Near, hear.) He was that day authorised to add another allloo to his already numerous subscriptions—(Loud *probation.) .After the healthy of the Queen and the other Mem bers of the Royal Family were drank, Lord CASTLEREAUIi observed; that he had next to propose the success and permanence of the Benevo lent Society of St. Patrick. • Though a sincere friend to its object, it was the first time that he had the ho nour of meeting his countrymen, and he knew too well the characteristic cordiality of Irishmen in the endeavour to alleviate human distress, and•wheir that distress was the distress of their own countrymen, for a moment to doubt their liberal contribution. There never was such an illustration of national sympathy, as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire land gave of beneficence. Indeed it was acknow ledged to surpass the revenues of some great St Iles. But, without any disparagement to the other parts of the Empire, Ireland, without a legal enactment, was prompt in the godlike attribute ot giving its aid to the relief et the unhappy, and the rescue of thoie 'Atom poverty might lead to crime. It wes needless to press the merits of the present Institution ; they were felt in its effects s and seli!ri he mentioned the. lamented pressure that bore so heavily on the poorer classes in these times, he felt assured, in appealing to his countrymen, it was the best eloquence to stimu ►.se their charitable •rertions.—( Loud plaudits tol e lowed this speech, and never was the cause of charily on any previous festival so generously received on its own intrinsic merits,) Lord CAsTLeittAan.—is I now rise to propose to you a true son eleSt. Patrick, s. The Hero ot %%rater too'—( Burns of applause).—Never, perhaps, in the annals of history, has There been such a career as that exalted hero hue, I would almost say, been prove dentially called to fulfil. Success has followed every effort, but fur what object ? For the oppressed against the oppressor—tor sulferieg nations against the in roads of foreign conquest—for the liberties of the world ageiust the iron grasp of an all.controuling military despotism. In proposing such a health, 1 trust you will drink it with the same energy with which he fought for the deliverance of us all"—(Coree tinned plarins.) The health was then drank with three P. :ms t i me , amidst loud cheering. Earl DAItIYLEY congratulated the meeting on the lau deble cordiality that prevailed. On other occasions, feelings had found their weer, which, though in proper political discussions i ig hl ought not to sully the pure stream of o:Arity. That night it flowed unin terrupted, atet be was happy to say beneficently— (Hear, Ace.) He trusted the present example would have its effects, that when Itiblonen met one day in the year to celebrate their tutelar Saint, it - was to be recollect ed that Charity was of no party. As the ob jects ot their beneficence were never considered on any religious or party feelings, so should tire sincere friend's feel that in dispensing the blessing all had an equal gratification. His Noble Friend ( Lord Castle rear) had' io anxiously and so expressively spoke to tete uteritsof the Institution, that it remained only for him to discharge the most grateful duty of his proposing his health—(fiew, hear.) dtehealth of Lord Castlereash was. then drank whir unanimous plaudits, with tluee times three. L ord CASTIARIAGH.—The flattering manner in whit h his health was drank, he trusted be appre ciated with-heartfelt gratitude.* His Noble' Friend had justly described the objects of that Institution, and the certain evil that was sure to be the consequence of blending its univeral claims . with party cositeetsee yhatierer might be the discordances of public men in this country, on leading points of policy, sure he . . was, that such a ditference — vould never prevent them from c6-operating in, as he :Aid before, not the hu.. man, but the godlike work of alleviating the misfor tunes of the unhappy, and rescuinz from tgnbrance, and possibly from crime, the innocent beings, thit were that night brought in precession before them.. As party was mentioned, he begged to state that to - an honest contention between public men. he in his conscience believed the country was best indebted for the surest guarantee of its liberty and happiness— . (Mari approhatioa.) • • The health of the Marquis of Hastings was pro posed by the Noble President, with thetighest en comiums on the well-known interest .which that ab- sent Nobleman had always taken in the interestis of the charity. and on his general public mad private virtues, It was drank with the proudest recollections. The health of the isferchionesses of Mae:;litre •1 Hastings followed. Lord Att roux HILL, under strong expressions gretirucle amidst great acknowledgments of rega• , ' , returned, on behalf of his *mother, hi's sincere thence for the Ertl and grsteful recolection. Sir MA::TIN Fouexe, appealing to the spirit of Itishr l,_s lien the virtues of the fair pert of the creating were before them and thoiigh net an Irish man himself, he felt from the feeling evinced by the rouse., that highly as they . estimated the virtues of ' • Lbly Castlereagh, it would be an additional teconi mendition to recollect that she had the honour el being born on St. Patrick's Day.—[Drank with the strongest expressions of respect.] Lord CASTLtREAGD, as a husband and as a man; felt highly retitled by the manner in which the pre ceding toast was received, and he begged leave drink; with a'warmth not less sincere than that which he had jost witnessed, "The health of all the Lat,tes whom the Gentlemen present had left at home."— (Great afrisbuss) followed by the Glee of " Here's a health to all good Lasses." The health of the Stewards was next proposed by the Nobie President, who on proposing the West, im. mediately turned to the Right Hon. John ?hart Curran. Mr. Cunevs rose, for the purpose of expresiing the grateful sense he entertained of the mark of re spect which had just been paid to him and his brother Stewards. He possessed but one•fourteouth part of that-ride psi:tea:4,lv -he-confrssed. he viewed it as a ucasure of great value; and he offered his own thanks. and.the.tuore valeabk. thanks of those who acted with him, in return for the enviable boon they had received. In that assembly, it was quite unnecessary for him to enter into a description of his feelings, When a generous action was done. the hearts of Irish men (Gob bless them !) felt, on the miimeiJ, the sensations to which it 'mutt give birth in the breast of him who was honeuted or benefited by it. ll'henow wished to express his feelings, he would not do it in his own person—he would refer to the hearts of those around him—and, if they did stit think meanly of him, be was convinced they were prepared to star, the dictays and sentiments which tilled his mind— (Hear, hear).—He was happy in expressing hi; unli suited and perfect concurrence in every seniintent that had flowed born the lips of their Noble Chairman— it was most pleasing to find him in that place, sup. porting, by eloquence and by his authorry, sui:!s liberal sentiments. He had been pleased to allude to some circumstances that had brtherly eiccurred ; and, in his . obsei vations on them, lie decidedly agreed. He had borne testimony to the fort:utile, the manli ness, the equanimity, of the people of th;s country, during !nog pet of distress ;he had marked the generosity with which they had shared, and the mag. naremity with which they had suffered. He (kr. Currite) believed, ti•at utiiiiterrupted prosperity was far from being the nurse of virtue. The man oho never suffered ft on: dif,trer.s Limsr lt, sva,s not the most ready to sythpathize in the suffeliegs of others.— ( Hear, hear.) liusbaadman must, in the spriug, :ease and fret the bosom of mother earth, before he can nor: to reap the rich lir.rveat of outuirsti. is tie same way, he believed, it was beceasary to throw the human heart into • the crucible of 'listless. whets, melted and liquified. it became prepaed ricetr, those irripiessions, which otherwise it would resist. - Certaiury, in hite•years, much had been done to la. tuiliatise man with ini•fortune ; whether the efforts ' thus made would end with creating stiil more a iming, or with producing effectual ittipreveident, tie weber not take upon himself to SAy. Ile hoped the latter. aple arse.) The Nt;')'...2 Lord had rni: honourably bdrite testimony to ti c utiotted ch.• city of the heal t which distniguisiteit las country. Doubtless there w is a treat din'i.rence between spae tatielAlS and *legislative charity, and, embalm, triter Noble Chairman might have eetieht his idea on I h 4 subject twin the Apostle St. Paul The heathen'," said he, " do net know the things that are in the last —but they du them, and their conscience bears test. many to the rectitude of, their acti as." 'Try this dry heard, from a Statesman, how hide lair could do, when compared with the voluntary sup gessin of a free and open spirit and he laved tlsey would profit by the observation. He kaew flat feuds and foliies (and feuds were always follies) hal sometimes interrupted the harmony which s nocit Prevail on such an occasion as the present. Dia , were now, lie beiLved, most effectually rittniitsbi and, silly as they were, he hoped they would n V' I be renewed. He knew not what to compare tiler to, except the stoiy of Nicholas the filler and hisWif • The lady burned the cravat of her husband sti ' the smoathing•iron. A dispute arose ; but Nichol. had no chance with his wile when she WAS in scolding humour. They at length determief to have separate beds—but a wall difficulty aria here, as they had but one bid in the werid The Committee of Ways and Means, however, Lac' out a remedy for this evil, and they determined sleep with the fiddle case between them. To bed d went : Nicholas sneezed; and the wile cried out le very pitiful tone—•" GOD bless sou, Nicholas lue " Ah !" said Nicholas, 44 you don't mean that 'tamest Z"—" Indeed I do," said the wile. 44 .110,04 my dear r' exclaimed Nichq)ass " if so, take eiti. the fiddle case."—( Loud laushieg and l aNslabsej. Inn same spirit he would say. away with the idle ger rels, fends, and follies of Irisnmen—(Lord followed this :leach). Lord CASTLEREAGH now announced, that the Rii Him. George Ponsonby would be invited to fill • Chair at the next Anniversary; and in mertionk that Gentleman, he begged to be allowed to say V the choice could not have fallen on a moo: ettiier s more dignified character. On that day it ee'S .(Lord Castlereagh's) intention to assist in every ire that hisliumble services couid be available, as r's by his presence as his contribution .(ei.eu'ae:e).. The/401e President thee: retired . 2 • I acknowledgments of the dignified and ceerrl.a. net in which • under his auspices, the day v D As soon as he left the room, an urt:eerszl cna made for Mr. Curran to take the Chair. That V tleman soon returned from the Stewards' rooms s ' was received with repeated plaudits.—The evoi.! was spent with the most convivial hararny ; the whole company retire till long after the tcLei, clock began to strike one and two Ile collect.'' `+ the day announced to £lOO9 12s. 64, 11118 H Imes SCIIDOW ST. GILS2S. children belonging to thiststablishnvitt,pe#oo)64 lode red; eed. Itty, I tare nag• ix I I , J Most 1.- 1 ' 6 4 e r the herd, Cor, it. 7 to 1.0 flans e sU!• lt,lt LI the trp ft, won- ttteit that eat,' C tel tor r swp Ithq )lui • n v t hen Wit • wi :h0..1 is art! rid.-- ted I the! H. I at in 1 t yst! Lr of* icy r ; rt• rrir eo rrit? J• 1 `+ 1