Star. — London, England, 1822-02-15 00:00:00

'iroa Ins vsz OF SCIIOOL.S. Jest publisbed, wsontu TRAGCEDLE: ed. Gitoßozßunals. 4.11.11 col. 1. riamscss, Piet. es. Besassa on, 7 16 In the Press, Vol. s. Sarrine ♦a Tusa►e. The remaining Plays, Fragments, Scholia, and Index, will be published in quick succession. To be had by ill ➢ooksellers, at VAirr's, Red Lion-court, Flest.street. FLANDERS MAIL. HAGUE, FEBRUARY S. SECOND CHAMBER OF THE STATES GENERAL. Among the Petitions presented in this Sitting was one (tom the farmers of Zealand, who desire that a maximum and minimum be fixed for the regulation of the corn trade. M. de STASSA kr moved that the Report on this Pe tition be printed. " There is every reason to hope," said he, " that the Government, being acquainted with the real state of things, by the numerous Petitions, addressed from all °loaners, will soon consent to place the corn trade under proper restrictions. It is the only means to prevent the total ruin of our agricul ture; and the urgent necessity of the measure grows more evident, as foreign corn, which is excluded from England and France by wise prohibitions, overflows our kingdom to such a degree as to deprive us of all hopes of supporting the competition ; and oar farmers are so little encouraged, that even in our public esta blishments, for instance, at Vilvorde, corn of our own growth is no longer used." Count HOOENDORF objected that the measures pro posed could not lead to the expected result. M. de STASSART said, the question was sufficiently important to call for a thorough investigation. Until it could be discussed, he proposed to have the Re- port printed in both languages. The motion WAS se conded and adopted. VIENNA, FEBRUARY 1. Colonel Doring has arrived here, express from London, in the short time of seven days. The post from Constantinople has not yet arrived, which is a , cribed to the had state of the roads. It is the mote disagreeable to the merchants, because the post from Constantinople sets out from Vienna on the 2d of February ; and, as there are only two in a month, the answers must be delayed till the 17th. We are still in expectation of learning the effect produced at St. Petersburgh by the Turkish Note, in answer to the Russian ultimatum. General Fiquelmont has not yet arrived at Vienna, as was announced ; he was overturned in passing the Po, and had an arm dislocated, so that he is forced to travel slowly. LEGHORN, JANUARY 45. A National Government has at last been established in the Pelopo►►nesus. Each village chooses one or two Electors, who choose others, to form the Government of each district; and the Elders of each district no minate the Ephori to constitute the principal Go vernment. Attica and Livadia having been restored to liberty, Greece has been divided into eastern and western.— The capital of eastern Greece is Salona, and that of western Greece, Uracori. These two provinces have elected Deputies, who will repair with Mavocoroato to the National Congress at Argos, accompanied by those of the Suliots, and by two Deputies of the Al banese allies, Tacri Avasi and the nephew of the Aga Vesniar. The Parguinotes, who have been expelled from the lonian Wands, have taken Chetica and Linder, and cut off the communication by sea with Prevesa, which is in a bad condition. ON PAYING OFF THE NAVY FIVE PER CLA 7'S. Whenever the Government have borrowed money by creating Navy Five per Cents. it has been stipu lated that, when able, they should have the right to pay thein off at the late of £lOO in money for £lOO in Five per Cents. The capital of this Navy Stock is about £141,826,249 Is. 9d. which sum would be required to pay it off in money ; but to avoid the raising a loan, the Govern ment will offer an option to the holders of Navy, by giving them the alternative of taking £lOO in money, or £lOO in some stock, either Four per Cents. Three and a Half per Cents. or Three per Cents. It is evident that the holders will take money, un less the market price of the offered stock be above 100 per cent.; consequently the practicability of pay ing off the money, depends upon the price of the of fered stock being above 100 per cent. unless the Go vernment also offer a bonus, which, with the £lOO offered stock, shall be worth more than £lOO money. As it appears the Four per Cents. are the stock in which it would be most advantageous to the Nation to effect the operation, therefore, I shall consi der the subject in connection with the Four per Cents. By changing the Fives into Fours, a saving of a fifth part of the interest now paid on the Fives would be obtained ; and this saving would amount to about £1,418,262 9s. 10d. per annum. To assist the realer in estimating the importance of such a saving, it is only necessary to mention, that the accounts laid be fore Parliament up to the sth of January, 1821, state the amount of the Civil List at £1,194,092 per ann. and of the Ordnance, at £1,401,585 for one year. The Nation would save this £1,418,262. 9s. 10d. per annum by the operation ; the Navy holders would lose it. There is no injustice in this, because, when the Five per Cents. were created, the Nation paid to the Navy purchaser, a larger interest than it would otherwise have paid, for the express purpose of having the right to pay them off at par. While now writing, the price of Navy is about 106 per Cent.—of Fours, about 98. The Navy holder, who fears that he may be forced to take £lOO of Fours for £lOO of Fives; or that, when the option of that or £lOO in money shall be offered to ham, the Frice of Fours will be above £lOO per cent. sells his ives and buys Fours, considering himself thereby as saving eight per cent. While, therefore, this scheme hangs in terrorem over the Five per Cents. it will tend to bring the price of Fives, and also of Fours, to 100 per cent. Ab many Navy holders might be disposed to take , • the ,lOM money, it wenl4l he necessary for the I Government to.rane that sue: tint as the loan which then would be raised would sot create more stock, and would lessen the infinal expenditure, it ought not, provided the Government had PAIR PLAY, to COW more than a very trifling fall in the prices of tl* Public Funds. But in spite of the jockeyship which would probably be resorted to, I do not think that the whole operation alone could cause a fall of more than five per cent. and it ought to produce a rile in the general prices of the Public Funds, ascom pared with the existing prices in the market. Taking the price of Four per Coke. at about 98, it might be necessary for the Government to offer a bonus of five per cent. to the Navy holders as a suffi cient inducement for them to take £lOO of Fours for £lOO of Fives, so as to secure the success of the scheme. This bonus would amount to the sum of £7,091,312. 9s. ld. equivalent, nearly, to the product for five years of the saving to be obtained. Should the Government think that the price of Four per Cents. is likely to rise over 100 per cent. they will perhaps wait, and, in so doing, they will probably benefit the Nation. Should they attempt to bolster up prices by any artificial tricks, it is easy to prophecy to them what will be the result. When the party by whose agency they may act, find that the prices have risen to what, they deem the full effect of the hocus-pocus, they will turn round uponsthe Government, as they have done before, and, having served themselves with the cat's paw,. to sell their own Stock, while they are wearing a Bills mask, and persuading every gull they can that he will rob his family of twenty per cent. should he sell at the then existing prices—when this party have effected this their purpose, they will throw off the bull's mask, blaze out in the full terror of real Bears, hang down the Stocks, roar at the Finance Mi nister that the monied interest do not take the thing kindly, and that prices will not permit the execution of his darling plan, while they hug their old friends, the Bills, with a fraternal embrace that will squeeze their pockets lank and dry. Should the Government effect the change in the Three and a half per Cents.they will, unless it be done at £lOO Fives for £lOO Three-and-halves, which would require a rise of fifteen per cent. above exist ing prices, rob the Nation of full 1:709,131.45. 11d. per annum for ever. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY id. This day their Lordships met at twenty minutes past four. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. The Duke of BUCKINGHAM presented a Petition from 144 farmers, residing in the vicinity of the town of Bucking ham, complaining of Agricultural Distress, and praying for such relief as to their Lordships wisdom should seem meet. The Petitioners respectfully submitted that in their opinion a pro tecting duty on the importation of foreign grain would be the most effectual remedy.—Laid on the table. The Marquis of LA NSDOWN, in rising to present a simi lar Petition from the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society, said that in one respect it was altogether dissimilar. In this case the Petitioners did not point out any particular mode of relief further than what they believed would result from a reduction of the public expenditure. It was not now his in tention to go into the general question of Agricultural Distress, more especially as he underitood from the Noble Earl oppesite (Liverpool), when interrogated on the subject, on a former night, by a Noble Friend of his not then in his place, that some measure would speedily be introduced here or in the other House of Parliament. At present he would only say, that one of the great causes of the distress that prevailed was the exces sive amount of taxation ; and a diminution of taxation appeared to him to be the best practical remedy. He was not among those who maintained that a reduction of taxes would have the effect of raking the prices of agricultural produce ; all he con tended for was, that it would enable the landholder to bear his present burdens tiU a better adjustment of prices should take place. He should reserve for another opportunity the further observations which he had to offer on this subject. The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not rise for the purpose of giving any opinion at present on the subject matter of the Peti tion, not wishing to provoke premature discussion. When the proper time arrived be should be ready to explain his views to their Lordships upon the important question to which the Peti tion referred. His object in rising, was to state that he had given no positive pledge to their Lordships as to the measure to be introduced, as he could not be answerable for what might be done in the other House. Of that their Lordships would form their own judgment, should the measure come under their consideration. The Duke of BUCKINGHAM, in explanation, observed that the persons who had signed the Petition which he had presented, did not my that relief might not be afforded by a re duction of taxation, though they did not paint it out as the best remedy.—The Petition was ordered to lie on the table, and their Lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. At four o'clock the SIKAILIM having counted the Members, and finding only thirty-eight present. adjourned the House till to-snorrow. MINORITY OX SIX IOXIIIT vaLson's MOTION ►ot TATUM SOLATITI TO ■$ 011011111I*1 TRAM Tea •A11301%-rli. 13. Abercromby, Hn. J. Ferguson, Sir R. Price, R. Althorp, Viscount Grattan, J. Plumber, John Beaumont, T. W. Graham, Sandford Bickford, W. Baring, Sir Thomas Guise, Sir W. Ramsdell, J. C. Barrett, 8. M. Gurney, H. Ricardo, David Benyon, Benj. Hamilton, Lord A. Robarts, A. Bernal, Ralph Heatheote, G. J. Robarts, G. Birch, J. Heron, Sir R. Robinson, Sir G. Brougham, H. Hill, Lord A. Rowley, Sir William Browne, Dom. Hobhouse, J. C. Rumbold, Charles Bright, H. Honywood, W. P. Russell, Lord John Burdett, Sir Francis Hughes, W. L. Russell, R. G. Bury, Viscount Hume, Joseph Rice, T. S. Bentinck, Lord W. Hurst, Robert Smith, William Buxton, T. F. Hutchinson,Hn.C.H.Smith, Samuel Boughton, Sir C. R. James, William Scarlett, J. 1 Calvert, C. Johns on, Colonel Scudamore, R. P. Calvert, N. Lenox, Lord G. Sefton, Earl of Chaloner, Robert Leycester, Ralph Stanley, Lord Calcraft, John Lushington, S. Stewart, W. Chamberlayne, W. Marryatt, Joseph Stuart, Lord 3. Carter, John Maberley, John Sykes, Dan. Clifton, Lord Macdonald, James Tennyson, C. Coke, T. W. Monck, J. B. Tierney, Rt. lion. G. Creevey, T. Moore, Peter Whitbread, S. C. DeCrespigny, Sir W. Normanby,Viscount Williams, William Davies, T. H. Nugent, Lord Wilson, Sir Robert Denison, W. J. O'Callaghan, J. Wood Alderman Denman, Thomas Ossubton, Lord Wyvill, M. Duncannon,Viseount Palmer, Colonel Dundas, Hon. T. Pelham, C. F. Ebrington, Lord Pares, Thomas ratios. Ellice, Edward Phillips, G. R. Bennett, Hon. H. G. Ferrand, 8.. Powlett, Hon. W. Lambton, J. G. Sir W. Leman paired of. Lord MILTON and Lord TAVISTOCIC having come up on purpose to support the question on Wednesday, were under the aecessitL of leaving. London before it came on, in consequene of indispensable busi ness in the country. The Market opened this morning at 78i, and a great deal of business doing In all descriptions of Stock, and particularly In Foreign Securities. The Five per Cents. ate 105 h; but it stems the expected ?Jesup from his Merrier this evening has not as yet made much impression on the Funds this morning. Co lumbian Bonds, on the let of February, 1822,wi1l have eightitie months' interest due on them: they now bear an interest of ten per cent. if paid here, and twelve per cent. if paid abroad. The Jews yesterday brought 40,000 of them into the Market for sale, which, we understand, will soon be got rid of without any de pression on the market; the price this morning of Cobunbian Bonds, is 85, including the 16 per cent. which reduces them to 70. Ten per cent. is paid off. ONE O'CLOCK The sales that have taken place within the last hour have been considerable. The interest increases with respect to the die closure that will be made to Parliament this evening, and gam bling transactions are doing as to the effect upon the Funds, either favourable or unfavourable. The anxiety at present exist ing in the City is beyond description, and the result a the de bate this evening is awaited with uneasiness by many The Market, since twelve o'clock, is considerably depressed: Consols are, at this hour, 77i. Some sales for the Account have been done, it is said, by parties who have hitherto speculated far a rise. CURRINT PRICES: Bank Stock 245 244%-5 per Ct. Reduced 78341 3 / 4 S per Cent. Cons.7B l / 4 % 775 78 9% per Cent s . 89% 3 / 4 4 per Ct. 99 1 ,E 3 / 4 -5 per Cent, 105% 104% 1053/4 Bank Long Annuities 20 1 / 8 1.16 India Stock 242% 249—India Bonds 775. 765. pre. Old Annuities 78% Exchequer Hills of El,OOO, 7s. 4s. pre. Dittoo small 7s.9s.premium Consols for Acct. 78 IA 3 / 2 77 I/ 8 78. To-night the Marquis of LONDONDERRY will make his promised developement of the plans of Ministers, in the. House of Commons, and as his Lordship relies with rent confidence in their efficacy in relieving the financial embarrassment and distresses of the country, there is much speculation as to the nature of the specific to be proposed. The cry for retrench ment and for a reduction in the public expenditure, has become so loud and so universal, that Ministers are, at length, compelled not only to listen to it, but, wetrustalso,to obey it. It is said that his Lordship will come down to the House with a Message from his MAJESTY, announcing the consent to a reduc tion of £300,000 in the Civil List, to be equally taken from the different departments of his Ma- JESTY'S Household ; and recommending a propor tionate reduction in the salaries of all the ser vants of the State. Such is said to be a part at least of the projected plan, and, so far as it goes, it must meet with the approbation of the country; but the point is, it does not go far enough. The times re quire sacrifices ; the Public have made extraordinary ones, and are suffering in consequence. It is, there fore, right and proper that every man, without dis tinction, who is paid out of the public purse, should renounce a portion of his pay, salary, or pension, equal to the alteration that has taken place in the value of money and the expense of living. The re duction of salaries is essential, but may not pensions also be reduced in a similar proportion ? Can there be nothing retrenched in the Half-pay List ?We do not hesitate to say that a great saving may be made by some alteration of this nature ; but it is not mere reduction that will or ought to satisfy the country.' —There are many cases in which abolition ought to be resorted to. To the establishments of the country at home and abroad, the test of utility should be ap. plied. We wish for something more than merely lop ping off from the income of a Lay Lord of the Ad miralty, or other Sinecurist, a part of the increase which it has experienced since the war by the im provement in the currency. The whole of the public expenditure should be remodelled in every branch ; every unnecessary place abolished ; every over-paid Placernan and Pensioner reduced; every contract opened to fair competition. Until all this is done, we trust that the country will not be satisfied with any specious projects, however ostentatiously they may be brought forth. There is another source of economy of which Mi nisters should be compelled to avail themselves in foreign Embassies. Why should Envoys be sent to petty Courts, such as Florence, Stutgard, Turin, and Switzerland, at salaries of nearly £4,000 per annum, when Charges d'Affaires at £l,OOO would answer every national purpose ? and why should not Ambas sadors, in like manner, be replaced by Envoys, which would be a saving of £B,OOO each to the Public ? We are aware of the necessary expepditure of the country being very great ; we are aware of the diffi culties in which the country is placed ; but, let these difficulties be fairly and honestly met, and we do not despair of the resources of the country still enabling us to surmount them all. Another part of the plan of Ministers is said to be a proposal for paying off the Five per Cents. and creating a Stock in the Four per Cents. to the same amount, which would effect a saving of about a mil lion and a half. There is also a report of some re lief being afforded to the landed interest, by a reduc tion of the taxes on malt, leather, soap, candles, &c. The project of lending money to relieve the agricul tural interest is, we presume, abandoned. THE E ENINV - gTAR. LONDON. • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1522. STOCK EXCHANGE, ELEVEN O'CLOCK. GERMAN MAIL. We received a German Mail this forenoon, bent ing the Nirrokrg Correspondext and the Alp:wide, Zdigung to the 4th instant. An article from Odessa states, on the authority tif accounts from St. Petenburgh. that the answer of the Ottoman P3rte to the Russian Iskisiatwas soar not es tivadory:: we *odd have wdndered much indeed if it had. It adds the belief, " that hostilities win not break out till the weather is more favourable, h eeeele Moldavia and Wallachia, which will be sh e g et theatre of the war, have no resources to sepp urt a great army." Such an article from Russia, w h ere not a line is published without authority, give ' pretty , conclusive evidence that the determination of tine Emperor ALEXANDER is for war. In an article from Berlin, stating the expected Ir• turn of the Duke of COMBERLAND to England, them is a " puff preclusive," that it is expected Parliament will increase the income of his Royal Ilighies. Th e hint could not have been' given at a more unseason able moment.—The following are extracts: NUREMBERG, FEBRUARY s. From-the Italian frontiers we learn that great et. pectations are entertained in the Morea, from the mission of Prince Cantacuzene to Russia. Napoli dl Romani, Patras, and Coron, still hold out, but tLe garrisons are closely blockaded, and cannot possib!y long resist if they do not receive assistance from the Porte. They are in hopes of this assistance, and for this purpose the armament of the Turkish fleet in the Dardanelles is pushed with great activity. The fleet is shortly to sail with a corps of troops on board transports. The Greek Admiralty, aware of this, adopts the most suitable means to attack the Turkish squadron and defeat its object. The Greeks have taken possession of the citadel of Corinth, which surrendered by capitulation at the end of November. Other important negotiations are said to be on foot for the evacuation of the fortresses. The evacuation of the citadel of Athens is stated to have already taken place. The Greek leader, Odys seus, is quite master again in Livadia : he intended to go to Thessaly, where a numerous corps of Asiatic troops had arrived, sent by Mehmet Pacha, of Salo nica, to the assistance of Chourschid Pacha. The latter expects further reinforcements. Since his disgraceful defeat by Ali, on the heights of Joannina, he remains on the defensive, and tries to keep open his commu nication with Thessaly. Ali is in constant correspond ence with the Greek and Albanese leaders. He de mands that his mortal enemy, Pacha Bey, who was taken prisoner at Arta, should be delivered up to him ; but the Suliots positively refuse to give him up, at which old Ali is much enraged. BERLIN, JANUARY 29. We hear that his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland will go next spring to England, with his consort ; and, there is every reason to suppose that the Royal pair (various differences having been ar ranged during the King's visit to Hanover) will now permanently settle in London, only visiting the Con tinent occasionally, and that an addition will be made by Parliament to the Duke's income. SRMLIN, JANUARY 21. By accounts from Sere:, of the 11th of January, the affairs of the Greeks in the Morea and Cyprus were in a pretty favourable condition. Chourschid Pacha having been obliged to give up the siege of Joannina, was closely pursued by Ali, who advanced as far as Mezzovo. Hereupon insurrections broke out everywhere; Pharsalia was taken by the Greeks by storm, and Larissa would probably fall shortly. All those parts are in insurrection against the Turks. Sixty Hydriot ships appeared in the port of Cassandra, effected a landing, and spread terror as far as Salo• nichi. Their only object, however, was to prevent the Pacha of Salonica sending reinforcements to Epirus. ODESSA, JANUARY IS. Accounts from St. Petersburgh of the 9th January, say that our Court had received the Turkish Note which was to be a satisfactory answer to the ultima tum of our Government, but it was looked upon by some as a mere evasion. The Council of State has since had frequent meetings, and the answer will soon be sent to Vienna. Ue hear that our Cabinet considers the note of the Reis Effendi as not sal leac tory. It is, however, believed here that hostilities will not break out till the weather is more favour able, because Moldavia and Wallachia, which will be the first theatre of the war, have no resources to support a great army. The Turks, as they retreat over the Dardanelles, take everything with them, and leave the two Provinces a desert. This morning we received the French Papers of Tuesday last. On the preceding day, the discussion on the Law for regulating the Journals and Pe riodical Writings was continued. The debate was opened by M. MARTIONAC, the Chairman of the Committee, who spoke at great length in favour of the new law ; a stormy discussion ensued, in which some amendments were proposed and rejected, when the debate was adjourned to the following day. These Papers contain an Order of the Day resrect ing the Conspiracy discovered at Nantes, in which five Officers (three of them in the 13th Regiment) are denounced, and ordered to be arrested wherever they may be found. An article from Ghent mentions a circumstance which is the principal subject of conversation