The National Register. — London, England, 1809-04-16 00:00:00

APRIL 16. • t ma -14$ , I THE NATIONAL REGISTER. The question, therefore, is, whether such an addition to the stock already. in the market is a thing to be wished, or depre cated. In the last Session of Parliament, the time of the House was taken up frota day to day with the complaints of the West Indian Merchants, and it was at length deemed necessary to faci litate the consumption of sngar by allowing it in the Distilleries. The glut in the market was so great that sugar was become per fectly unsaleable. The poorer Piaaters were rained, and the richer were only enabled to continue their culture upon their former savings. Under such a state of circumstances, the Parliament deemed itself called upon to interpose, and as we have before sail, open ed the Distilleries to the Sugar-growers. This was a serious departure from principles hitherto deemed fundamental. It has always hitherto been a z maxim to favour the English Corp-grow ers in preference to the Foreign Planters—This system was now done away, and the Farmer and Planter put on a level. The quantity of colonial produce in the market so far exceeded the demand as not only to justify but to require this new system. In such a state of things, is it necessary to say pitch as to the necessary consequences of new colonial conquests. If the market be already glutted, what will he its state when so much addi tional produce is thrown into it,— when the competition of the sellers is augmented by an additional island, and one-fourth, per haps one half, is added to our already bursting warehouses. There is another consideration of some importance. The an nual produce of Martinique is, as we have said, very great; but its actual stock on hand is much greater. From the efficacy of the general bkckade of the French Islands, by the English cruisers, the Planters of Martinique have been unable to send their stock to market--they have been compelled to store it, and it is not, perhaps, too much to say, that the warehouses in Martinique must probably contain the produce of four, five, or six years. All this quantity will now be released, and poured into the English market.—What must be the inevitable conse quence?—lf there was before a glut, will not such a produce become now little better than a weed ?—The Dutch, it is said, annually burn their spices, to prevent an over-abundance in the market. Something of the same kind will now he necessary with respect to the English Colonial produce. What, in fact, is to become Of the surplus ? Every one in his eagerness to sell will necessarily under-sell another, the necessary consequence must be, that the greater part of them will he ruined. Under certain circumstances plenty is lobe wished, but under others, it is equally ruinous both to the Planter and to the Pub lic. It is ruinous to the Planter, because the price of the whole is jured by too great a surplus. Every one will buy at his own price where there are more who want to sell than he wants to buy—and this excessive abundance is ultimately equally injurious to the Public, because the abundance of one season will he invariably followed by the scarcity of others— many will abandon a cultivation which they cannot continue ithout the prospect of ruin. Upon these considerations, we must panne before we consider the conquest of Martinique as a thing of any public value, or political importance. To us, indeed, upon the first appearance of thin g s, it seems rather a conquest than an acquisition. We are open, however, to conviction, and if the \Vest India Planters are satisfied, we shall have nothing farther to say. 1 N DICUS. IMPERIAL.• PARLIAMENT. HOLE OF LORDS. Frideg, april 14. Lord Arca LA Nt) wished to make some observations, which would tend to elucidate the subject of the motion postponed by his Noble Friend, Lord Grey, to Friday next. He would not on; occupy the attention of the Howe, and as his observations were unexpected, he would not require either an immediate, or a full ansiyer to any of them-from - the Noble Secretary of State, unless his Lordship found himself perfectly conyeleut to the task on so short a notice as the present, The first related to an article contained in the treaty of alliaoce concluded with, he could scarcely say whom ; for at the o.ne nt %% it had beet' signed, our army was on the point of evacuating Spain, the Supreme Junta were dispersed, and Ferdinand VII. in whose name it was concluded, remained a prisoner in ihr 'hands of the Frerch, uncrowned and hopeless, The article of which he complained hound this nation to acknoo ledge Ferdinand VII. his heirs, or lawful successors (ascending the throne with the consent of the Spanish nation) as the wily Sovereigns of Spain. Ile objected to the former part, adikely to involve the British Government again in all the intricacies of Bourbon policy ; and to the latter, as ultimately tending to acknowledge Joseph Bona parte the lawful King of Spain, in case he should at last . meet with the approbation of his n-w subjects. The next observation related to a promise made by the Noble Secretary of State, that the fullest information should he laid before the House, on every point of the late eampaigat: Yet one of its most oaportant and unfortunate events, the surrender of the squadron at Ferrol, was illustrated only by two letters from Admiral Dc Courcy : the one advising Sir David Baird to protect those shit s, and the other stating their loss and their number, His Lordship also wished that a more detailed :recount of the lesser sustained by our army in Spain should he prodored. as that which had beets given was evidently evronenus or insufficient. Upwards of - top own were acknowledged to have perished, or been taken by the enemy ; but a strict examination of the subject would prove, that at least 10,000 British warriors had been snatched away from their country. The last remarks he woald make were on Mr. Frere's two letters to Sir John Moore, and the 'mysterious and offensive message to which they alluded, and the nature of o Welt his Majesty's Ministers had not yet unfidded to Podia melit. lie did not press the Noble Secretary for an answer, if he were not prepared ; hut yet he thought the subject important enough to deserve his attention. The Earl of Lis - en Poo it. would not, at the present moment, give any answer to the observations made by the Noble Lord They were mere matter of argument, and would probably find a place in the discussion relative to theeampaign in Spain, whit it would take place on Friday next. Lord Gar. y did not look on the observations o hielt had heeo made as mere matter of argument. and regretted that 'ley a: e i not been answered. Objecting, as he did, to the h. 31• tags treaty of alliance concluded with :be shadows, not too teresea- Wives of power ; still he thought the article poiated out by his Noble Friend entitled to an increased polio') hhele. Ferdinand VII. was acknowledged in it the only Sovereign of Spain. Had dual his Majesty's Ministers admitted the justice of Bonaparte's roeeedivg - s: had they sanctiored the forced re r signation of the aged and unfortunate Charles I V.: As to the losses sustained by oar army, he certainly thought they greatly exceeded the amount given in the returns on the table. Be wished to have an account of those sustained by our troops since they had reached our own shores. Exhausted with fatigue, and wasted by disease, every day since their retort) the funeral hell hail tolled over their corpses. These were the consequences of the late imprudent and ill-directed campaien ; these were losses of which no computation was given in the papers now be fore the House. _ _ _ Lord BUCK INGII Mill Inc called upon the Noble Secretary to declare whether there fisted any ground of objection to Sir John Craddock, which appeared to be implied hy the appoint ment of Sir A. Wellesley to the chief command in hortugol. The Earl of Li v citron t. admitted the courage and ability of Sir John Craddock, and vindicated the appointment, on the ground of his Alaje..it)'s prerogative. fIOCSF. OF COMMONS. Tue.7ilay, April 11. Nu business of intportance. IVednesday, April 12. Mr. Alderman Co NI nr: presented a Petition from the Worship, ful the Company of Butchers of the Ca:, cif London, praying against the removal of Sinith6eld Market .-- Read , and ordered to lie um the table. Cant pbell's Divorce yr ag read a third time and passed. petters is augmeinea uy an Haw i tonal isiann, arm nue-iourtn, per- enemy ; but a strict examinatian of the subject would prove, t ., haps one half, is added to our already bursting warehouses. that at least 10,000 British warriors had been snatched away There is another consideration of some importance. The an- from their country. The last remarks he woald make were on tl . i, nual produce of Martinique is, as we have said, very great; Mr. Frere's two letters to Sir John Moore, and the 'mysterious 1 but its actual stock on hand is much greater. From the efficacy and offensive message to tchich they alluded, and the nature of , • \lajecty's Ministers had nni yet unfelded to Parini- ii; of the general blnekade of the French Islands, by the English " hid) h i i i ' d i d ' Secretary for an answer, if i cruisers, the Planters of Martinique have been unable to send I l l i t e • t i l v t . e re n e at ire l i l l ot re l :l i r ‘ h s but vet i ht le tho . thought th e . subject importaut their stock to market--they have been compelled to store it, and enough to deserv e i his attention. it is not, perhaps, too much to say, that the warehouses in The Earl of !AY en POOL Would not, at the present moment, Martinique must probably contain the produce of four, five, or give any answer to the observations made by t h e Noble Lord six years. All this quantity will now be released, and poured They were mere matter of argument, and would probably find into the English market.—What must be the inevitable conse- a place in the discussion relative to thecampaigo in Spain, whit it (pence I—lf there was before a glut, will nut such a produce wolild take place on Friday next. now little better than a weed ?—The Dutch, it is said, Lord Gar, y did not look on the observations w Welt h i d h•a m become ,Trade as mere matter of argument. and regretted that tiwy h l ,l annually burn their spices, t o p reven t an o ver-abundance in the not been answered. Objecting, as he did, to the ..kit-It• ..r ttve , market. Something of the same kind will now he necessary treaty of alliance concluded with she shadows, not tn.. I ere-i.e. , s with respect to the English Colonial produce. What, in fact, wives of power; still he thought the article poiinea alit by ii to become of the surplus? Every tune in his eagerness to sell his Noble Friend entitled to an increasea portion or lihtne. Ferdinand VII. was acknowledged in it the only Sovereign of will necessarily under-sell another, the necessary consequence • nin Si i* . Had then his .Majesty's Ministers admitted the justice must be, that the greater part of them will he mined. of Bonaparte's rrneeetlivg: had they sane:int - ea the forced re r Under certain circumstances plenty is to be wished, hut under signatinn of the aged and unfortunate Charles I V.: /V- to the others, it is equally ruinous both to the Planter end to the Pub- I losses sustained by oar army, he certainly thought they greatly lic. It is ruinous to the Planter, because the price of the exceeded the amoant given in the returns on the table. 11e , wished to have an account a those sustained by our troops since whole is jured by too great a surplus. Every one will buy they had reached our own shores. Exhausted with fatigue, at his own price where there are more w h o want to sell than he and wasted by disease, every day since their return the funeral wants to buy—and this excessive abundance is ultimately bell had tolled over their corpses. These were the consequences equally injurious to the Public, because the abundance of one of the late imprudent and ill-directed camintien ; these were season will he invariably followed by the scarcity of others— • losses of which no computation was given in the papers nos be- -1 fore the House. . • many will abandon a cultivation which they cannot continue Lord BucKINGII A Still Inc called upon the Noble Secretary i w ithout the prospect of ruin. to declare whether there e::isted any around of objection to ale Upon these considerations, we must palm* before we consider John Craddock, which appear ed to be im p lied b y the a pp oint- 4 the conquest of Martinique as a thing of any public value, or meat of Sir A. Wellesley to the chief command in Portugal. The. Earl of [AYE:krone admitted the courage and ability of political importance. To us, indeed, upon the first appearance of things, it seems rather a conquest than an acquisition. We Sir John Craddock, ant 1 I vindicated the rii»uintment, on the are open, however, to conviction, and if the \Vest India Planters ground of his Majestv s prerogative. are satisfied, we shall have nothing farther to say. r , I I N D ICT S. fIOUSF. OF COM MONS. ,_ • 1 ..... • . . . 5 i ( ' !, IMPERIAL PARLIAM ENT. ......... m ....—. . . i Tuesday, April 11. • , , —....m.-- t HOUSE OF LORDS. . Nu business of importance. . li ---- --asio.--• k .. Y Fridey, april 14, Wednesday, April 12. ti d Lord Avrtr..A. we ND wished to make some observations, which Mr. Alderman Co m n -would tend t o el uc idate the ful the Company of Butchers of the City of L o n don, g enet 1 subject of the motion postponed by e: presented a Petition from the Worship , 11 his Noble Friend, Lord Grey, to Friday next. He would not .4 against the removal of Smith6eld Market.—Read, and ordere n 0 on; occupy the attention of the Howe, and as his observations to lie on the table. were unexpecte d , h e wou ld no t requ i te e i t h er an i mme di ate, or T. . ld was read a third time and passed. ..._ ---