Star. — London, England, 1817-03-20 00:00:00

EAJT.INDIA ROUSE, March 19. lett. rrHE COURT of DMECCORS of the UNITED 1 COMPANr if MERCHANTS of ENGLAND,ImiIas to tit'EAST INDIES, de her* give notice, That • General Court of the said Company will be held at their House in Leadenbalhatreet, on WEDNESDAY, the 16th April nevi, at Eleven o'Clock in the Forenoon." for the purpose of taking into cunilderation the Mandamus Papers u far as the same relate to the conduct of the Court of Directors in resisting the paten . ezerelsed on that occasion b 1 the Hooourable the Board of 'Commissioners for the Affairs of lodis, in adjudicating disputed pecuniary Claims, and in directing the application of the Company's Funds for their discharge." JAMES COBB, Secretary. TO I HE PROPRIkTORS OF IiAST4NOIA STOCK. I.a Dias *sob GINTLIMEN. THE very friendly assurances of support which I have ha I the honour to receive throughout toy Canvass for a Seat in the Direction of your Affairs,_ eocourage me to enter tain the must sanguine expectations of success whenever the period of my rendence In •this country, as prescribed by Act of Parliament, shill have rendered me eligible to that distinction. , • That period will be completed in Nun/ember next, and it is my Intention so avail myself of the Slat favourable opportunity which may afterwards occur of submitting my pretensions to a BaUot. I have the honour to be, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obliged and obedient servant, Betheley.sqvare, March itO, DOT. W. T. MONEY. r INDIA-HOUSE. A Quarterly Gereral Court of Proprietors of East India Stock was yesterday held at the Company's House in Leadenhall-street. Mr. Ilume—‘ , You must be aware, Sir, that the public mind is in a state of considerable anxiety re lative to the fate of the Embassy to China. I wish, thereiore, to ask, whether the Court of Directors have received any authentic inlormatioo_ ist that subject ? 11 they have, I should be glad to know the nature of it—it they have not, a knowledge of that fact wilt tend to weaken the rumours that have gone abroad en the subject, and to remove the anxiety felt by the public." The Cuarnstau—s , The Court of Directors have not received any information from Lord Amherst, since his arrival at Pekin. They have received no ac count whatever, and are therefore, quite ignorant with respect to the reception his Lordship has met with." The CHAIIINAS then intimated to the Coutt, that it was made special at the desire. of certain Proprie. tor., for the purpose of taking into consideration the Alandamus Papers, as far as the same .related to the conduct of the Court of Directors, in resisting the p- wets exercised by the Board of Commis!, in adju dicating disputed pecui iary claims, and directing the application of the Cs mpany's funds for their dis charge. The Court of Directors had, however, since received a letter from the same Proprietors, request ing that the discussion on these papers should be defer red till the 16th of April, to which day the Chairman awned the debate should be postpone& Agreed le. Mr. WEEDING, after alluding to the Bill now before the House of Commons, for throwing open the ports of Malta and Gibraltar to the East India trade. im pressed on the Directors the necessity of applying to the Legislature for a removal of the transit duties on piece g iods, from India and China, which operated In favour of the foreign trader, who was, in conse quence, queace enabled to undersell us. The CUAIItStAN stated, that the Court of Directors bad, that morning, been employed in considering the Subject. to which the Huaoutable Proprietor had called their amain's. _ _ Mr. LOWNDES called on the Court of Disectors to I watch, with a jealous eye, the Bill now in progress through the Hou►e of Commons. They all knew, that &a stone were thrown into a pond, it would occa sion circle after circle, tilt the whole pood was co vered. Thus, it they agreed to give up the two ports of Malta aid Gibraltar, they would be soon called on to give others, until, at length, all putts would be included in the same system. Mr. HUME was most ans cots that every thing which prevented London from being a free port should be 41011 e away. He conceived that the representation of the Directors on this subject would have great weight—and he hoped that every thing in the form of duties, charges, &c. should he removed from the trade ►etween India and England. The CHAIRMAN then announced, that the Address voted by the Court on the 7th ultimo, to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, had been presented to . his Royal Highness at the Levee, on Thursday, the lith instant, and was most graciously received. Mr. R. JACKSON took that opportunity of compli menting the Hon. Chairman on the politeness and urbanity of his general conduct, but more especially on the occasion of present ng the Address. Mr. HONE and Mr. LowNozo also bore testimony to the gentlemanlike etd impartial conduct which he bad displayed on all occasions, since he had filled the high office of Chairman of Or Court of Directors. The CHAIRMAN expressed the gratification he felt at this nolooked.lor approbation of his public conduct. The Court then adjourned. PARLI.I3IENTARY PftOCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 19. further evidence was 'staid respecting the cue of Bat ky's Divorce INV, and ordered to ha printed. The farther consideration of the BM, on the question of its amosid reading, was,. on the motion of Lord Rotts, lied for Tuesday nest The tilt Manufacture. Bounty, and the Annual Indemnity • Bills, weir read a third tune and passed. The Army and Marine Mutiny Bills were severally read a se cond time, and committed for to•morrow.--Ad3ourued. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. HUSKISSUN btuusbt la the Crown Lands Revenue MU, which was reads hut omit, and ordered to be read a second tune to morrow. Lord BINNING brought in a Bill for the esta blishment ot District Lunatic Asylums throughout Scotland. He had long felt considerable regret at the want of attention pod by the Legislature to the convenience and care of this description of unhappy persons, labouring under an infirmity, which, from the latest experiiutats, had been proved to be in most institutes capable . ot great alleviation, and often of c omplete cure. The state 4 the Lunatic Institu tions t! roughout Sc, timid were, in general, i ex tremely detective n conitoti, convenience, classifica tion, or scientific medical treatment, with the excep tion of those at Glasgow and Abeidten. In the tor- Met there were, by 'the latest accounts, but twenty seven patients—in the latter twenty-tour; yet even in these, there was not that attention paid to the classification or assortment ot the cl:Plerent description rf Itio..tacs, which had been proved to be so enii. cuiducive to their restoration to unity. In the County of Mid-Lothian, a small County, there were at present exiseing twenty-five private Mad houses, in some of which three, four, or five persons were provided for, in several not more than one ; the consequence necessarily was, that they fell into improper hands, as a mere trading speculation, and a matter of profit, rather than subjects of cure. In framing this Bill, he had copied the excellent regu lations of the Bill upon the same subject, brought in by the Treasurer of the Navy (Mr. Rose), that of Mr. Wynn's being inapplicable to Scotland, as it applied to County Asylums, and the Counties in Scotland were far too small to admit of one in each. The Bill had in view the erection of six Asylums, corresponding with the number of Districts into which it was proposed to divide the whole of Scotland, with respect to the operation of the Bill. A Board of Commissioners were to be appointed to superin tend the conduct of these Establishments generally, and a Commissioner corresponding with the General Board was to be appointed to each Institution, to whom, as soon as these Institutions were completed, were to be transferted the immediate regulation and superintendanee of these several District Asylums. The charges brought thus upon the country, it Was proposed, and this was, at the present moment, the most delicate part of the subject in this arrange ment, to raise through the several Districts at the rate and proportion cf the rases already assessed on individuals, as the most equitable arrangement. — Convinced, as he was, of the numerous advantages resulting from scientifical treatment of this disorder, is proper and convenient receptacles, both to the afflicted and the country at large, he felt little doubt that the Bill would be congenial to most persons' wishes in that House. The Bill was then read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. ZA.,:MPTION OV WANEHOUbES FROM WINDOW TAX. In reply to a question tr General G.V.COYNE, The CHANCELLOR if' the EXCHEQUER said, he wished to explain the intention of Govern ment, with respect to the Bill at present in progress through the House, relating to the Tax on Windows iq'houses used as warehouses ordepositaries of goods or wares. By this Bill it was intended to exempt such' dwelling-houses as had been subsequently con verted en the purposes of warehouses. The Bill wa► .►bout to be printed, and no doubt would prove sa tisfactory to the trading piptt of the community. waLiti JGDOPs. Mr. PONSONBY notite., that no Tuesday, the '22d of April, he would move to bring in d Bill to extend the Act of Queen Anne for the prevention of persons sitting its Parliament, who held offices during the pleasure of the Crown, to those Officers commonly called Welsh Judges. The Right Hon. Gentleman then postponed, from the 14th April till the 21st of that month, the second reading of his Bill fur continuing certain otlices on the demise of the Crown. SAVING SANK& • Mr. BROUGHAM presented a Petition from the managers and other persons concerned in the Provi dent Institution, established in the Parish of Saint Paul's, Covent-garden, stating that that Institution had been established fa a year—that it differed from the Saving Banks about to be sanctioned by the Bill in progress through that House in several important particulars, and that its success had been great—that during the first year there were 270 depositors. and that the sums deposited amounted to above aItXX), of which only about 459 d had been drawn out dur ing the twelvemonth—that it had infused into the younger classes of inhabitants a spirit of emulation to increase the amount of their deposits—that the whole establishment was managed on a system which cost only /HS per annum that the Petitioners feared that the eff,ct of the Bill now before the House would be diametrically opposite to what was intend ed, and they therefore humbly suggested to the • linos?, that it would be pauper to examine witnesses as to the mode of management of this Institution, and its effects, before proceeding to pass the Bill. The Petition was then brought up, read, and or dered to lie on the table. On the motion of Sir C. MONCK, there was or dered to be laid before the House, an Account of the number of four-wheeled and two-wheeled Carriages fur which Assessed Taxes were paid in Ireland, dur ing the years 1815 and 1816. Also an account of th. quantity of Wines imported into Ireland during these years. On the motion of Mr. BENNETT, there was ordered to be laid before the House, a Return of the nature and date of the different appointments held by Mr. Herries, miler his Majesty, and the emolu ments and salaries of bis several appointments. SPAIN AND SOUTH ASISKICA. Mr. BROUGHAM, pursuant to his notice, rose to move for the production of certain P;spers con. netted with a Treaty between Portugal and Spain. As he was in the dark as to the nature of the facts, he might have occasion to request some information from she other side of the House to guide his motion. All that be at present knew, was, that about seven or eight montbe ago an Expedition, partly by land and partly by sea, was fitted out at Rio Janeiro, which, when fully equipped, proceeded toward: the Spanish settlement of Monte Video, in the neighbour hood of which the naval and military part of the expedition united, and proceeded to hostile move ments against that settlement. These movements ended in the Portuguese force taking up a strong position in the neighbourhood of Monte Video, and by the latest accounts from that quarter it appeared —not, indeed, that this force bad taken possession of that fortress, for in that he hoped they would not succeed—but that Monte Video was in a state of siege or blockade. The purpose for which that armament bad been fitted out was, no doubt, to take possession of that settlement; and, it this were true, one or two considerations must arise. Viewing Monte Video As a Spaoish settlement, bow happened it that hostilities were going on between these Powers in that quarter alone f But viewing it as a settlement not i n t h e possession of Spain, but one to which the Govern ment of that kingdom laid claim, if it was considered as one of those which the Noble Lord, in an official document, bad, in his opinion, very improperly call ed the Revoked Colonies, but which ought more cor rectly to be called the Independent part of south America, that part of it which was engaged in a struggle for its success, in which almost every one io Europe put up prayers ; in Lbw view he was equally 1 at a loss to account for the proceedings to which he lauded, Ens it was strange that an expedition should be fitted out against it without the concurrence of the Spanish Government. lf, on the other hand, there was any treaty by which that Settlement Was l eaded, was it not extraordinary, in the first place, that the House had not heard any thing of such a I treaty ? and, in the second place, was it not evident that such a treaty must have been executed with the connivance of our agents there ? Mitt shal Beresford, One of the most distinguished ornaments of our mill. Lary prates:ion, was, as it appeated. also Commander in Chief of the whole Portuguese Forces at the very tins* when this Expedition was fitted. If, therefore (as one would suppose must have been the case), Lotd Beresford knew of any such treaty, it was very strange that the House should now be without infor mation on the subject. The House had some right to know, even if a convention had been made to cede that Settlement, whether theee was any equivalent to Spain. It was said that the equivalent WAS the ab stinence on the part of Portugal to claim the restora tion of Olivenza, which it had been settled at the Congress should be restored. It had been surmised that Olivenza was to remain to Spain, while Portugal was to have Monte Video in lieu of it. If this country was a party to the Treaty of Vienna by which the restoration of Olivenza was stipulated, and it another Treaty was made elsewhere relating to that place, it Was a necessary consequence, that whatever was done in contravention to the Treaty to which we were parties, should be stated. The principal reason why he brought forward this motion, was to give our Government an opportunity of explaining the con. duct of our Agents (civil or military) in this trans. action ; and he was sure that nothing would be more satisfactory to the House and to the country, than to find that the proceeding in question, on the part of Poittigal, was in no way sanctioned by the British Government. He then moved—That there be laid before the House a Copy of any Treaty between Portugal and Spain, relative to the restoration of Olivenza. and of any Correspondence relative to any such Treaty. Lord CASTLEREAGH said, he did not think that the Honourable Getaleman meant to press his motion, for if it.should be agreed to, the return to it must be in the negative, because he (Lord Caste. reagh) was not in possession of any such treaty. lie had no difficulty in stating that the lit itish Govern. went was no party, direct or indirect, to the course of policy pursued by Spain towards her colonies. The conduct which this country billowed with reference to these disputes, was adhering to a system of strict neutrality, and not (that which the Honourable Gen tleman seemed to recommend) to assist the colonies against the native country, which would be in direct contravention to the Treaties between Great BritAin and Spain. When Marshal Beresford was employed in the service of another power, so long as he was not recalled front that service by this country, the cape• city in which he acted as in the service of that power must not be confused with his character of a Blitish subject. His conduct must be considered as directed by the Portuguese Government, in whose service he was now acting. There were many other British Officers in the service of Portugal, whose situation was quite analogous to that of Marshal Beresfurd. The Crown undoubtedly might, when it pleased, recal all those of its subjects in any foreign service. But as Mar shal Beresford was now situated, it would be suppo sing him guilty of an absolute breach of trust to as 4unie that he communicated to this country the Coun cils of the Government in whose service he was em ployed. Having already said, that the TetUrtt to this motion, if it were agreed to, must be in the negative, he must at the same time deny that it was competent for Coivernment to lay before Parliament any Treaty between other Powers of which it might have a know. ledge. Yet he might state, generally, that there was nothing which cook* indicate the existence of such a Treaty as that which the Honourable Gentleman alluded to. Beyond this, he must decline entering into any discussion upon the present question. The House must be aware that the events iu the River Plate, as they might involve interests of the most important nature, affecting the European dominions of Portugal, must be considered not as a mere South American question, but as an European question. He therefore, did not think that lie was at liberty to enter into any further statement of the facts, even if they might be in his possession. He had disclosed the main fact, that Great Britain was no patty in any shape to the intentions or acts of the Crown of Portugal in the transaction in question. He would repeat, that he had no reason to suppose that there was any such Treaty in existence as that alluded to by the Honour able Gentleman. Mr. BROUGHAM explained. that he did not speak with reference to the proceedings of the Curt at Lisbon, but of the Court at Rio Janeiro. Lord CASTLEREAGH desired to be under stood as saying, that passing events gave a negative to the supposition of the Honourable Gentleman as to the existence of any such Treaty. Mr. BROUGHAM.—There was just one thing more as to which he begged some information from the Noble Lord. It was said that nothing was done by the British Government to give room for the sup. position that it espoused the one cause more than the other—that the system acted on was one of perfect neutrality ; that Marshal Beresford's acts are merely those of an Officer in the service of Portugal, and do not in any way cc:41411)4 the British Government; that not only Marshal Beresford but many other British Officers in the Portuguese service are in the same situation. So far it was all very well. But if any nun.ber of our Officers or men should engage on the side of the colonies, was it to be understood from the Noble Lord that no umbrage would be taken, but that the scales of neutrality would be equally and scrupulously poised between the two Powers ? He would ask whether it had not been prohibited by the British Government to afford any assistance to the insurgents, by Furnishing them with arms ? He would ask whether the transportation of arms from Trinidad to the Spanish Main had not been prohibited under the severest penalties-.ender pain of confiscation, fine, and imprisonment Lord CASTEREAGH—The Honourable Gen. denim' seemed to argue the question es• if British Officers were now serving against the Colonies. This WAS not the fact. He did not believe that there was a single British Officer in the Portuguese army who WAS 1101 WOW in Portugal, with the exception of Mar ohal Berestord. As to the other case put by the tip. nourable Gentleman, he felt that we were acting a part strittly netttrii At' tile same time; it was tfi be considered that, on the one side, there were nes nt alliance with our Government ; while, on the er side, there were none ; therefore he could itiq w the Honourable Gentleman to carry his ;•ar :ffe! so far as to pass over such a consideration. tts t niched, certainly, if steps were taken to sigmas ot.e cif 1 1 the parties carrying on hostillties be I used expressly for the annoyance of the olhei ~any, that would be a breach of neutrality. He not be expected to say any thing that would look idte countenancing British Officers to serve on tie side• of the insurgents, when there were note such serving against them. Mr. BROUGHAM—As to Marshal Beresiord, it might be true, that he was not serving Jgainst t!‘e insurgents ; but was it true that that Wl,l had been engaged in superintending the embat organization of the force ulitch proceeded a.,2,•:tis: Monte Video? Mr. LAMB said, that there seemed t 3 he a 57,,1ng,. anomaly in the situAtion of Lord Bereshtte. It tvzs true that he was an Officer in the sett/ice at the ails of ronugal, but at the same time he tt as still a Br tish Officer, and would not th , :ie inoceedings in whidt he acted be considered as .t nctiontd by the tish Government ? Lord CASTE RE -IGH—The ‘l. e , •!r feat) , recognized by all the European Pone' s, rha: t'.e subject of one Crown might by. eitiphsyed in up • vice of another, as long as fit W recalled. Mr. LAMB —" Is it wise to act on a pi*u. ciple in this case I" ' Mr. PONSONBY rose, in the 11:4[ place •tl sk A question. He had beard that in the Amer..:.,. C., 0 gccss, a Bill was in progress throuLth the Hie., c ;' pre,cntat:ves, the olajeet tit which was I. ohs . `the President a discretionary power as to tht: ?los it of ships and allowing them to sail wt etc y it be ng understood u ith a view t t aILw h teed to the assistance of the Spanish it Sauils America. In the accounts of t:.e d. which had taken place un this Pell, he SA • that Member its the cow se of his sp:ech mentioned that the Spanish Ambassador bad lined cred to pr. vets: ihe piogress at the Bill, and that the represantatit.ta 21.1 it iii.• ns:rances of that Ambassador had been see aided by the lieiglish Minister in the United Shuts. He iheieture wished to know whether thece am t ., i n ( Act , any foundation as to any interference in that case on the part of our Ambassador to the United States ? Lord CA ST LE ft EA G H.— A, far as he knew he bad reason to think that the imam es oi the can Government were taken solely on their own view a, to what they thought the best line of policy in such a case. and uninfluenced by Ole interference of any other Power. Mr. PONSONBY said, he must allow that de Noble Lord had dianaged to elude his question. He now wished to call the attention of the House to a Trey) , which bad been concluded ben-ern his M,.- jesty and King Ferdinand VII. some time since. la the first part of the Treaty to ye:4e' he aihe'ed, it was stipulated, that. if Spun should Sligceed its reco vering her South Ame!jean Colonies, no natioo was to have any advantage over Great Britain in tl.r commercial intercourse with these Colonies. To th 3 Treaty there were appended three additional articles, and it was to the third of these that lie now solicited the attention of the House. The Noble Lord had ' just stated that our situation with relation to the con test between Spain and her Colonies was a situation of strict neutrality. If this neutrality was strict, he would not complain. He would not by any means say that the British Government ought nth:tally to interfere ; but the House had a right to demand that the neutrality should be stricte—that no countenance should be afforded to Old Spain as against the Colo nies—and it there has been ally such countenance afforded, it must be a breach of duty. Yet in this Treaty he found these words:—" His Britannic Ma jesty being anxious that the troubles and disturbances in South America should cease, and that the subjects of these provinces should return to their allegiance, will prevent the giving of arms to the insurgents."— What right had Spain to ask for snore than neutra lity ? and what folly (meaning au disrespect by the word)—what folly was it in the British Government to make such a stipulation, which was as much as saying that Spain would be assisted in every way ex cept by open torte? This Treaty was signed by Henry Wellesley, on the part of the British GOVC:C meat, in 1511. He therefore gave notice, that .gin the 2Sd of April he would move for a copy of t!!': Instructions to Sir Henry Wellesley, under thought himself authorized to sign that Treaty. • Lord CASTLEREAGH observed, that it e:sc very extraordinary that the Right Hon. Grritlent.in had not sooner brought his view of this questica tore the the House, considering that the Treaty to which he referred had been laid on the table of the Flow.c two years ago. The true meaning of neutrality rr tainly was, not to assist either party by force to Ly furnishing arms. Mr. PONSONBY said, it was perfectly true tf:t the Treaty was laid on the table of the House cr. 16th of March, 1S15; but it was equally tree th: ,, he (Mr. Ponsonby) never heard of it till Thursday last. No Address of Thanks had been weed on The House House had done nothing to saucti.m it, and de Treaty was as open fur the discussion of the 1 - 1c1:c as on the day on which it was first presented. Mr. BROUGHAM (having withdrawn hismet'oei asked whether any step bad been taktn oh the :Art of Spain to fulfil the stipulations of that Tteaty as : • the Abolition of the Slave Trade ? Al!hough two or three years were now past since they were entere.t into, he thought it was high time that something was done to fulfil them. The tact was, that since 0:6 signature of that Treaty, 20,000 Slaves had, is year, been imported into Cuba, and 10,000 hat been , imported to the various Portec,tiese Settlements.-- He wished to know if there wete any corresrer , I dente now going on with these Powers rthetee to I the Abolition ? Lord CASTLEREAGH said, te had already , stated that this question was under the &Ll:era:lee of the other Powers in Europe. kYESIPTIPN ow WAHEHOU:ES ER I :4 WININJW-TAX. I Mr. LUSI-LINGTON moved for leave to e , •erCc the tide of the Bill for repealing the Dutiesonc.uts I Warehouser, with Odices or Dwelling-houses attach' 4 to them. Ile repeated the expiatiation givee by h'' night Honuut able Friend (the Chaecellor of the El ( chequer) early in the evening, that the objer• t tf i I new Dill would be to eceeupt from the wr43,4 d~ 1:7 tior has N J blis [nit sl