The National Register. — London, England, 1818-05-03 00:00:00

I. br Salk' nal eftso POLITICAL DISQUISITION. FORTRESSES IN THE NETHERLANDS. OBSERVING-, from the late Brussels Papers, that snore than ordinary activity prevails iu repairing, and pla:ing in a state of defence, the Fortresses in the Ne tberiends, we feel, we have ne doubt, in unison with the majority of those who have noticed the article al luded to, a ceesiderabie degree of anxiety to ascertain two points, which appear to us important, as they might erect the finances of Great Britain, and the peace of Europe, and, therefore, mention them as matter of interesting speculation. The first point on which we are desirous cf obtaining information is, the party that supports the expence of coast:acting and repairing these fortresses. The second, the interest it has in doing su. To the first of these questions, the unswer may appear to many very obvious, or, in fact, that it is answered by the second. That the party whose interest and defence require such precautions should be the one to support the expence, appears, prim facie, tl.a only reaso . nahle conclusion that can be drx,rn. But is it so ? To a certain e7;tent N7C know it is not. We know that the eepences oldie coreerue tion of Fort Wellington, at Oetend, are every penny defrayed by the British Goveremee—that the works are proceeding under the saperintenclance of British Engineers, and that the contracts fur the materials and labour were made by the Engineer Department. This is closely identifying the intees: of the two coin - Aries ; end, admitting that the interest this country will derive from the construction of Yule Wellington, can justify ler Cleve:nee:6l:r incurring the expence attenoing it, why are we not to conclude that the same rule is ap plicable to Namur, Mons, Mb, Tournay, and all the ether places of defenc.e en the fror.tiers of Lelgium. Arc the e:ipences attending the repairs and completion of c.'! fertresses at our charge, or is it Fort Wel i.ligton only ? If, as it is whispered, the :Thole weight e.s:s on the unlucky shoulder:: of ;John Lull, why, we an only say, God grant bias strength to support it. At this moment, when the of the country ar..i so elanionetie for economy—when the combined result of all the learning and talent of the Members of cur legis• lett.= are inadequate to meet the contingencies of the day, the nation leeks with increased scrutiny into every orarich of cependiture, and if there be one more than another felt :ind grudged by the nation, it is that which carries the weelth of the country beyond its own pre cincts. We earnestly hope that our fears in the pre sent imtanee may be ill-founded, and most happy should we feel to finclacine toured and plausible reaeers assigned for cur incurring even the expence of Fcrt Wellington. This plate, which will undoubtedly Fore one of the most.perreet in its kind, seems principally to be intendiches lettere to the harbour of 04eed, and consequently it is fair to pre.ume, that the eaemy it was intended in guard against was at least an enemy more formidable at sea, than the now powerful • kingdom of the United Netherlands. Was this enemy Fnmee We will venture tel assert, without tear es • e eitradiction, that the maritime resources of the thedande are mach more likely to prove foriniilalle to her southern neighbour. But admitting the expediency of the object as sufficient justification of the expence in (:aeNtion ; we still cannot see, should it eventually ap pear that th;s expenee is confined to Ostend, why that pert should-have beers selected in preference to the niore vulnerable points of krrieoritri frontier ? It is to 1.),.• hoped, at least, that previot.s to involving the country in an heavy an expence fur :Le defence of one of our allies, against the presumed aggression of anuther, the mind which conceived this measure, was sailiciet:tly gifted to see far enough into the future. to be certain that the weapon we thus furnish is not P,.cly to need agniust TO us, it really ei No. 534.—Viet. XI. Flick; 1)1d. limitittr+ Our ing, Comititution anb UAW. SUNDAY, MAY ti, 1818. in the course of time, perhaps at a virile not very dis tant, we may find in the Netherland: a foe more for midable than we have reason to anticipate, we shall find in France. IL: commercial intuaasts elasli more with our own—her situation readers her more neces sarily a Yawl Power, and when we coats mind what, not many years since . . Holland was 4/oata, ve may form some iva of what, under a good and energetic govern ment, she is cnpabie e= becoming with the annexation. of the coast and territory she has lately acquired. We arc far from wishing the depression of any state or cf any people; but with the facts above mentioned before our eyes, we cannot but ccnceive that the ftndsappro?riat ed to strengthen the power of a nation whieli is as likely to prove hzreafzer a foe as an ally, might have been much better employed in our own country, in the construction of a Fort Wellintua for tits pretection of our own persons, or even in a low new churches fo7 the benefit of our souls. Having thns freely given our opinion as to the source from which the peenmary means for effecting this rapid and general armament of the Belgic frontier arc to spring, and stated our reasons for regretting what we knont and cantioning ngsiest wEat we fear—we turn with considerable interest to :he consideration of a point which some of the foreign Journals hare more than once alluded to, namely, the retirement-of th Aihcd troops, now in France, within the line of the Bel . gic frontier, where they arc to remain s time. atter evactiatir.7 the French teritory. as as Obser vation. l'oese rarnours have indeed bee:, eentradicteti by most of the official Journals of the.,..4 l4 tigsnt, bu., it seldom flappers, that rumours cc sotic i vie 114.7,7 nut some foundation; we should not, hownif*atve 7 oticed them but from a colour of probability At n on them by the preparations rcrw making for ilk putting the fortresses into a state of defence. It t o confidently 1 , asserted that the Allied troops will l an* enncuated France before next winter, according to th- terms of the treaty of the sOtls November 14 te.t. 'lbis point must now be settled, and of course known to the differ ent cabinets of the Allied powers, butt as 7a:lo:ingrain:jai has yet transpired, we are inclined to vie .7 this incident rather as corirborrative of the flying rumours in circu lation than otherwise, We should regret to find oar fore` clings verified. If the existing V.overanient France have not yet acquired either the power or the credit to esuse itself to be respected by the nation, it would be almost vain to hope that, of itself, Mover will do so; and, in that ease, how long rid this"psople of Europe to be burthened with the supyart;te armies, for the mere defence of the mere abstract principle of hereditary descent of the regal power. Ala general principle we are. not at all disposed to quotiosi its ex pediency :—for the personal character et fie present King of France, we entertain etety due retpoet, but if after the sacrifice and the gigantic c have made to pace him on the thrtme of his ancestors, he cannot continue to preserve it by his own means, we really do think that it would be forty in our (lovern inent to eN-tet tcl another guinea it. hopeles:: a cattse. France, reduced as she now is, ittigat, to eta opinion, satl‘ly be left to herself In. taking tip the assuniption, that her present Government rni,ht vet be able to sup port itself, it was for from oar o t roion that she itould lot. With the exception of soul.: her soldiery, who still regret the days of licetnied pinuder, and -rapin e under I3uonaparte witlto.3t ail other motive of Lamb meat to him or hisGovernment,-17'nuieu, wt. can venture to zrz: ,, .rt, :1 as r.ticli disposed to Prase a:: a:7.T nation of Europe. Tine horrid scenes of the late Levolntion, the arbitrary sway oi military despotism Linear NaPolooll, arc still fresh in the minis of her inhalttinita. They fully appreciate tint present opportunity fin i•epose, at leant the majority do, and evon those who do not, we verily b.::iieve are ac'...ated in that ;Laing by the irritation produced by the presence and support of a foreign army than from any other cause whatever. short if the Allies are really desirous of conciliating France, and to preserve tranquility the surest means they can adopt to effect these ckjects is to leave hts Government and people to themselves, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. Moio.al . , Aron. 27. No bosinesa of importatice this day. 'll:EsriAy. No bu.tiness of importance this day. WEDISESII.IY. OFFICERS WIDOWS' I'ENSIONi, The Marquis of l..+ssuoty,F rose to move that the parce l laid on the table of fly!. House, tclative to the Widao, aad Officers enjoying pensions Phould be printed. 1k laced not add how much lie was gratified. and low melt the commu— nity at large was gratified by what had occurred. In fart the retialation to which he alluded, was at once a measure of paltry economy, and of great haichne3, The only alt.-rn., tivt he could vii,ll in the exieting regulations, would tr hi t assimilation of the Navy with the Army on the. snbie't vi Pensions to the Officers' The Earl of Livitr.roor. agreed with th , :, latter part of thy. speech °lda?. tioLle Marquis, but did not think flit if gulatioa sh..nld altogether be given lip. After some obsematiors from Lord Melville and the Mar quis of Laasilovrue . , the Miaian was then agreed to. c,oLn COINAGV. TI e liar( of I, tu'De::D.sLF. said , that it appeared, that ri von the last 661t1 coinage, there had been a loss of X, ,0001. by ti, t; disappearance of tt , e gold circhliatiou from the country, for As tilitt sum had bccu voted as the estimate of esipewl.- iurc for coinage. It ssosilil be well to coosislor whrtlt , •r slit suns of 75,0001. so proposed as the officiate, would not 1 / 1 them', away like the former. Wit'.s this view he ahnnld move for the estimates fur charge for the gold courage of intl.—Agreed to.—Aajourred. kair,Ay. Lord 1101.daNn presented a PetltiPll ft!im T. Dawson and his wife, complathing of the hards!iip they had endured under the pressure of a Chant, ry suit. 'tile Low. , irdrici-1.:. , )!L was nut apprised of the cram_ stances, but would make investigat.un. Earl (n v' presented a Pi-gluon from the tanners of Dur ham, prii)ing a di - iemitioilauce un tier duties on Irather.—. Ordered to lie on ti c table. o n a ,gotiti or Lont llour •ND the second rcitling of the Bell relative to Privately mtid.og was postponed. —Adjourovd till Monday. Housr: OF COMMONS. MMNIItY, APRIL 27. Mr. PIENNF:TT r resented a Petition from Coast tartanne, complaining of the conduct orLient. General Coinpbell, .v hen (loi , elior of the lonian Islands. The Petition accused Gen. Campbell of altering the existing laws of the lonian Hami ll by Ins own authority. It otferifl to prove by Itid witnesses, that lien. Campbell executed a man who had been absolved be a Jury. Ile also established the pillory, and the paimoh nii at of the lash. This had a man of ancient family, and in a high official situation, brim a suitor is vin to f Invernment. lie had been 'cirri-v(1 to Sir J. Ntaithilil, who had also ChOS(11 to wound thin Nobleman s feelings, Lv %Wag him an advetn• tut er,stiling Lad:tune. 'I his NohretnanViii bliss:whir from the Nobles et the lonian Ts'ianils to Russia.— After a short debate, the Petition was la:d on the table and ordered to be printed. 11RFACH OF PRIVILEOF.. Mr. W. \V NN t said, that undermattili.4: t 1 Ferjeant at Arms bail in custody a person charged with a It ieurh of Pri vilege, he had to move that the resolution of the Committee of Privileges leqteeting Thomai L'ergaiton shati:d be read; which being dote, W”ine said, the iihire regahir cour::e of proceeding would be, that the House shottid come to a specific resolution, that Thotnas Ferguson baying written let ttr, tending to intim-lice, in an undue anal corrupt wanner, the election for a !klenitrer for the county of Lanai A, 113 d btu) guilty of an attempt to fetter the freedom of election, and of a high breach of privilege.—The Resolution W., il,:apted item. ve , r. Mr. W. Wy NSW, then said, he had next to mire that Thos. I'er~na , n be committed to his Majt.stc. gaol '):* Ne+‘gate at the same time giving notice, that Mica the .4 the evidence of the Committee of Privileges should be priati he would move au Address, that he he dismissed front 143 other. This Ite,loitttioll rues also agreed to, nets. a'n. nu a Mutiou of Mr. Brougham, the Ifou.s: went into a Corn. mittee on the Bill for the better Education of the Poor, in which at received a few verbal amendments, and W 43 reported. It was ortleied to be taken into farther consideration on Thursday neut. COTTON FICTORIES BILL. Sir ft. PEAT., In inosialt the Committee on the Cotton I'ae to,ics Ilia, said, about :.1 }rams alto he brought in a similar HA N ; but it had .ilint.it heroine a dead letter, in eonsequence or the Fria coatigt; that had taken place in the Cotton basi tle.s ; And HOW the poor children were left Rimf,,t, without protection. The difference between present and former Bills was, the hest was to protect Nip, entices, and the latter to prowl children, who had no o. eto protect them. '1 tie touts at labour were 14 a day, much aigove tilt: strength of ci ---. 641 V I. it, 4., , i °* tt - 's .iot, cc, ~~l{u" ~~•-y~