The Statesman. — London, England, 1815-10-20 00:00:00

To THE EDITOR or THE STATESMAN. --...-- Sim—Your Correspondent, Jurrtor A, is certainly well-founded .in his complaint, that the Officers of the /c o y, unlike those in the Army, do not acquire rank by seniority ; and what is far more humiliating, that unless he has powerful interest, or some extra ordinary occurrence, as the death of a Captain in a very well-contested action, he has no chance of pro motion. The fact is certaiuly so ; and as the writer of the Letter alluded to, seems by his language to he *man of information and of education, I lament that be did not enter fully,into the subject, and by a full exposure of facts, show the absolute necessity, not only of a change of system. respecting a most inva luable body of men, who are most shamefully neg. lected, and very often most illiberally treated ; but a l s o prove the no less urgent necessity of Parlie memory Reform, to which alone the injurious and dis graceful partialities in the Navy, must, in most in stance=, be attributed. I will make no invidious comparisons between the sea and land service, both have a claim on the country, and both are essential to its protection; although it must be obvious to the meannest capacity, that from its being an island, and in face of the greatest maritime nations in Eu rope, the Navy is the service to which its views most be directed for the preservation of its independence. Your intelligent Correspondent does not, however, seem to be aware, that the patronage of the Navy is divided amongst the Members of the Administration, and though not exactly, and with the same accuracy, as the disposal of Bishopricks amongst the Cabinet Ministers, yet sufficient to mark that the claims of men in office takes precedency of that of merit, and hence one of the causes by which old and de serving Officers are consigned to vegetate on the scanty produce of their first commissions. The Mem bers of the Board of Admiralty have also a share; and it sometimes occur, that the senior, and even the junior, clerks have sufficient credit with their superiors to procure promotion for their friends ; to these may he added, the claims of men of both Houses of Par liament, and whose claims are peremptory if -they send three or more men to the House of Commons. There is again another set of claimants on the Ministers, who, though despised by them, are nevertheless formidable, and whose applications are not al ways to be treated with indifference. I mean those Boroughs which send Members to Parliament, and particularly those on the coast, whose Corporations are composed of vulgar, illiterate men, who, however, resolving every thing into trade, perfectly understand how to bring the Treasury to terms, whenever it shows the least inattention to their demands. The fortunes made by Prize-money, hold out irresistable tempta tions to the pain-taking traders in all our sea-ports, Falmouth, Troro, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, ]liver, and the other Cinque Ports, and their vanity is often as much interested as their avarice in the pro.. motion of their sons. These men, their wives and their rhoghters, are enraptured on beholding their boy Joe, Tom, or Dick, strut to church with a stenod by their side, which has the more charms, as the ill.fashieried cub was the first of the family that ever wore such an appendage. In proportion as votes in Parliament are kr demand, these Mayors, Al dermen, and wealthy Burgesses, are insolent or sub missive at the Treasury. If the Minister is hard-run, he is threatened with as little decency as justice by their worships, and I have known instances of his being menaced and in danger of seeing a whole family compact with their dependent become violent Pa trials who were the week before all Tories, and of so senile a cast that JAStEi H. would have called them the swot loyal of his subjects. With so many potent pillerAries to all legitiinnte pretensions, can it be surlo ;sing that a (lion Meg Officer, who has no Borough interest—no powerful connections, and ouly his own atstlitra' pretensions of meritorious set viCes to plead in his favour, should be thrown altogether in the back ground, and find his not being the son of a shop. kosper in a trading Borough, for they are all corrupt, 'lmola be visited on him as a crime, and' exclude him s:1 rinrice of promotion in a service, which is become olio of the most paws.' ful engines in the hands of Government, to ensure to them the loyalty of these Boroughs, and the unconditional submission of their Representatives. These are the causes which, with a defective novel system, is sho cause why so many descrying Officers in the Nmoot advance be peel the Lieutenantcy they obtained 40 years ago; and that many active and intelligent Officers, stick in elm, may he called the mud, that is, at being Com manders, where they are shut out of the current of pro:notion, and must vegetate on the scanty half-pay allotted to them. I have also to observe, that it some- floes occurs that the Secretaries, though not ostensible I First Lords of the Admiralty, perform the duties of that office, as far as relates to patronage. In my early days, I have known the post of Private Secretary to be to the full as valuable as a seat at toe Board, and the Gentleman who held that situation to be by far a much greater man than his master. If my old friend PIIILIP STEPHENS was alive, he would more than corroborate what I have advanced, for he could produce chapter and verse. He was indeed Public secretary at the Admiralty in my days; but he thew and saw enough of what was going forward in the larboard corner of the Admiralty, to be indignant at the exactions and in solence to which veterans, petitioners, were subject. I do not know whether these practices are obsolete er not in those days—the exemplary, unaffected Modesty, and the splendid patrimony of Mr. CIIOKER: THr gIIATESMAN. are securities to the nation that no such abuses exist in his department ; and the acknowledged urbanity and humility of Mr. HAY, removes all susoicion•of insolence of office from that quartet You will, therefore, inform your able Correspondent, Juterme, that the evil of which he complains, and which is an evil of great magnitude, affecting the fame, fortunes, and happiness of a most numerous and deserting class of public servants, in a service to which the Royal Family owe the preservation of the Crown, can only be runodied by a Reform in Parliament; and that nothing short of that Reform can preserve to us out liberties. • am, Sir, your humbleservant, SAMUEL STARBOARD. Portsmouth, 00.12. REFRACTORY SEAMEN. PROCLA MA TION. Ono. 19. 1815. Whereas it has been humbly represented to his • Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that a consider ' able number of persons at Shields, New castle-upon- Tyne, Sunderland, and in the neighbourhood of those places, have unlawfully assembled themselves in a disorderly and tumultuous manner, for the pur pose of compelling the Ship-owners and others con cerned in the trade of the above-mentioned ports, to comply with certain regulations prescribed by them with respect to the navigating ships and vessels pro ceeding to and from those ports ; and have actually detained and prevented di►ers ships and vessels from sailing from the said ports, and have pro. ceeded to 'other acts of violence : and whereas it has been further represented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that these misguided persons have formed themselves into Committees,atid , have administered illegal oaths, with a slew to the purposes before-mentioned; and have also upon va rious occasions used force or intimidation to compel persons to join such unlawful assemblies, and to pre. • vent their engaging with the said Ship-owners ; his Royal Highness being duly sensible of the mischies. ous consequences which must inevitably arise from , such illegal and dangerous proceedings, if not speedily suppressed, and deeming it indispensably necessary to have recourse to the most of mea sures, with a view of bringing to justice the persons concerned therein, has already caused an adequate military and naval force to be assembled and station ed in those parts where the disturbances have pre. railed, for the purpose of assisting the Civil Power (if necessary) in suppressing the same, and is hereby pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Ma jesty, to promise his most gracious pardon to any per son or persons who have been concerned in the ille gal proceedings before.mentioned (except the Pre- Elderly, or person ac'ting as President, in any such Committee, or any persat► hating actually admi . uistered any surh unlawful oath, or having used any actual force or intimidation for any of the above. mentioned purposes), who shall come forward and give Information against any of the persons who have administered the said oaths, or assisted in the admi nistering the same, or who have acted in a Commit tee of any such unlawful assembly as aforesaid, or who shall have used force or intimidation to compel persons to join those unlawful Assemblies, or who shall have prevented any persons from engaging themselves in the service of any of the Ship-owners before-mentioned : and, as a further encouragement, his Royal Highness the Prince Regent is hereby pleased to promise to any person or persons (except as aforesaid) who shall discover and apprehend, or Cause to be discovered and apprehended, the authors, abettors, or perpetrators of any of the illegal pro ceedings before mentioned, so that they or any of them may be duly convicted thereof, the sum of one hundred pounds for each and every person so con. victed ; the said sum to he paid by the Lords Commis sioners of his Majesty's Treasury. DUBLIN, Ocr. 17. tEROBI THE DUBLIN EVENING POST.] The letter of the Duke of Wellington to Lord Castlereagh, which appears in the London Prints of Friday, is taken from a translation of a translation. —We hare procured a correct copy of the original, which shall appear on Thursday ; we have not room for it this evening. ; On this subject we hare the following f•nen a high ly esteemed Correspondent : his letter is dated Lon: don, Friday evecliag : " By the way, [ have a piece of intelligence upon which you may certainly rely. 1 here is a decided and strong difference between the Me of Welling_ ! ton and Lord Castlereagh. It is thought in London that the dispute must terminate in the resignation of one of then)." ELOPENI EN T. The subjoined is from the Correspondent just quoted. We have read the passage with deep re gret : " You will be sorry to hear a piece of intelligence which has not yet found its way into the London Prints, but which is, unfortunately, too true. The Duchess of Ll has eloped from her husband and childrep with a silly young Nobleman, Lard E—l!: This has caused a great sensation here." Txe IN.IUGURATION or THE SHERIFFS. --owe— Yesterday Mr. Sheriff Bell and Mr. Sheriff Thorpe --- were swore into of with the astral ceremonies at ' It is a prevalent i.'es at the Tor. Office, that Gcl. Guildhall, and this day will go in procession to the rernment now intend to propose a cootinnatien of the Property Tat at 7} per cent., and in consequence Court of Exchequer, there to t a ke the c us t omar y oaths. Their equipages are both splendid. Th e cat . to make a considerable reductinn in the Assessed tinge of Mr. Sheriff Bell has beautiful designs axe- Terre. Thr. Diario di R o ma an n ounces th a t M. C e t rote cured by that eirrinerit artist the late Mr. Hamilton, wql proceed from Paris to lotelets, *here be will the brother of Mrs. Bell ; and they posse s s a ll t h e exquisite beau.). of his fine pencil. be consulted on the monument to he erected in hoe After the ceremony, Mr. Sheriff Bell entertained nour of the it i h ..r.t.s.. army. his friends at the Albion Tavern, in A Idersaate•rereet, ' In the early part of this month a Wrests was to be opened at Berlin for the exhibition of the p a i n ti ng s in a most sumptuous incline,, lie was tesnaured with . and other works of art recovered from the el u s euns the company of their- lineal iligletesses the Dukes ' of Kent and Sussex, with a numerous party o f hi s lof the Louvre. The money received for admittance private friends, besides the principal Members of the. was to be applied to the relief of wounded sohliers. Corporation. At the Albion Tavern is dinner is given i A French Paper mentions, that Lord Ceerroed with all the splendour and comfort of a Nobleman's . and Lord MAGLER had lastly the honour of being table; and we never witnessed a more superb or more' presented to .the Pore his Hotinels gate them the - tasteful entertainment then that of yesterday. The most nattering reception, and decorated L rd.Ctar. decorations were elegant, the service prompt,. quiet, "11°9 as being the oldest Catholic Peer of g rg l an d, and attentive, and the dinner and desert of the most with the Order of the Golden Spur. costly and perfect kind. I An attempt was made at Tobago, in the West In. Mr. Sheriff Bell did the honours of the day with a : dies, in July last, to put into circulation a base cop. .' ' spirit that inspited conviviality. lie i n t r oduc e d the per coin, known by the mime of estanspees. The customary toasts with short speeches, w hi c h were re - M agistrates , on investigating the affair, oscertaieed the ' commended by the felicity of the turn of compliment importer to be Mr. Virtual( THOMP,O7I4 and on which he gave to each illustrious perso n a n d di s ti n e proceeding to his store, discovered foui large goished hods, whose health was d r unk. 46 The puncheoosfilled with them. After see•ral hearings, ' Ki ng, the Prince R egent, t h e Queen and R oyal F e .. he was convicted under three weevil Act., in perielties asnouniing to 2301. and compelled t o g i ve se' to mily, the Royal Dukes who were present, the Navy ' the amount of 30001. not to be gu ilt y wheel the and Army, the Lord Mayor, stud Lout Mayor Elect, the Aldermen," &c.ifirc.&c. 1 same otl'euce. The base estampees were th - rown into 4. The Duke of KENT, in an elegant address, returned the s e a. • thneks, not merely icor the honour done to himself, 1 A most extraordinary circumstance took place on hut also in the name of his brother, whose sudden i Tuesday everting at Egtsese, where a toweittemtd• bail indisposition prevented him from expressing hi s gm- ' was announced to take place in the assembly rooms, titude for the affectionate manner in which their , for the benefit of It professional Gentleman. of St. , George's Chapel, who has a family of infant children, tames had been received by the respectable company. and who has been poesy years deprived of the use of Ills Royal Hiehness congratulated the . City of Leos don i n having chosen two Gentlemen to discharge his links. With this humane attraction, together the imports.; d.; -s of Sheri ff , whose honourable with that of Miss Merreserra, of London, and a seeracter would dignify and independ,, the stations number of highly approved vocal and instrumental' they held, and whose known and steady principles performers, yet, stran;e to tell, not a single pereoa . , . would secure to their fellow-citizen, tire most faith- attended as an audience. The performers, after ful respect for their privileges, and attention to their .waiting at an hour after the time announced for happiness, lie concluded with proposing the healths 1 beginning, had the candles pint out reel departed. of Mr. Sheriff Bell and Mr. Sheriff . 1 horse, which ; DRURY LANE.—The Tragedy of Othello was last was received with the warmest and most enthusiastic • night performed. Mr. KEAN, for the first tine applause. this season, performed the treble, abused, unhappy , Al. Sheriff BELL expressed in lively terms his Moor. Ira performance presented a series of beauties: !Rude for the high honour conferred on him an d st'l „'he marked with a master's skill the gradation! of brother Sheriff by the illustrious lein,.,, e eele t eeerieiasion, from - the first ineineation of jealousy'i fell turned their warmest thanks to the company efileeetie poison into his open and ensospecting mind, until ! suSpicion is hardened into certainty, and the feeling - --ew---_ i cordial manner in which they had shown their quern. On the 7th inst. the house of a 111110 named Handi- 1 bation of their appointments.--it would he their Pere' thus engendered propels him to the commission of a hoe, ebout four miles from Kilheggan was attacked nest end heurtfelt object to deserve, at the terming-!dreadful crime. The Ceenic may exclaim, Kt Ws f o r a r ms. li e m ad e a s h ar p res i stance , b y fi n i ng on (ion of th e i r ser vice, the high a n d Halte r i ng applause,' person is unfit to represent a hero ; we answer with .• eekKEV3IDE— the assailants. They returned the fire, but fi n ding which they met with on entering upon it. '- I " M i, inlaid I earth and heita'n, that mode of attack unsuccessful, they set fire to the The LORD MAlfoo Elect also delivered a eery • ' " i'i:e ql r iv • gfo l un °r t.:n • h e e r a i r tre w if fne T, house, from which he rushed out, and escaped with handsome address of thanks for the manner in which . "Of bear t iteees and .ul.linie." • '' it.fesite difficulty. , his insane had been received. He was trot apt to make We mind not Mr. KeAN's person, when we see pas. Ismenicx, OCT. 1.1.---The Special Commission at professions. Ile did not believe that it would be in , sion bursting from his eye—when we behold feeling Limerick has been postponed to Wednesday, Ist Hs power to discharge the judicial duties of the : enthroned on his features. He received the same November. ' Chief Magistrate of the City with more attention, ; distinguished applause, which his different exertitina l The following is a Bs• of the capital offences that impartiality, or humanity than they had been fulfilled •on these boards, have invariably cammanded. trio are to he tried at this Special Commission : by his predecessors. It should be his study to imi- ! was well represented by Mr. POPE. Nirs. Berrery's si r:ornery or !lettuce -Six for taunter ; In assembling by tate their example in this respect, as well as in main-1 Desdemona is entitled to much praise; but, we ght, and ifix homies t ti sixg, felony, and als- ta ming the dignity of the high station. Nor should 1 think, she is, in Many places, sententious, when she duclion ; lan. ~.- .•orniag houses;fur attacking on the high- „_ way and row. ~ , 0 fur a riot at a fair, tiring shuts, and killing he reirget in his determination to support the legal : ought to he playful. a inan. -Total :re Gevernment of the country the important trust 1 After the Play, Dime's Musical Entertainment CITY or Uneaten-One for murder; :I fur attackiag dwel- , ling In.uses at nieit ; 4 for robbery ; 4 for attacking with i n - committed to his hands of preserving unimpaired the ! o f t h e D eser t er was revived. Time di ff erent chaste teat to murder-Total It tig hts and privileges of his fellow-citizens. Their ! ts' , tees were well supported. Mr. T. Coo ~ as Henry, The Right lion. Lord Chief Baron and lion. Ser. security, happiness, and approbation were the only ; the Deserter, sang with much effect, and his panto. jeant Johnson are to preside. 1 rewards to which he should ever look. I mime (the character is Jittle more than Pantomimic) The Magistrates of the county of the city of 11. 1 The Duke of KENT ill I short and emphatic ad- ' was excellent. Miss L. KELLY executed her airs its merick have given notice to, such persons as ere dis- dress proposed the health of the late Mr. Sheriff a very fine style. 'lles young Lady's voice is daily posed to ems themselves from the effects of the i n . Leigh, for the very distinguished manner in which he acquiring firmness and power—and her taste a n d surrection Act, now its force in the Liberties, to de. had fulfilled his trust, and for the very handsome judgment appear to keep pace with the improvement liver up, within 48 hours, all arms, ammunition, or manner in which he had continued his services be- of her tones. Mr. KNIGHT'S SiMpkill was truly off !ensive weapons they may have in their p o sse ss i on . ; yond the allotted period. rustic; hut Mr. Nivenee's Skirmish was the great Friday night some hours after can-set, Major Wit- This was also received with warm and general ap- treat of the evening. Ile represented the character son and the Rev. Richard Cox, appreirended J. Heard, • please; and Mr. Sheriff Leigh returned his grateful • admirably. His drunken man is so excellent, that, near Cabirconlish, county of Limerick, for h av i ng thanks. 1 we are sure, the public will never he displeased with concealed fire-arms in his house. ! Sir William Curtis,. Mr. Alderman Atkins, Mr. the sight of it. The Helots when s intoxicated, pro. Thursdny night, the insurgents burned the house Chamberlain, and Mr. Serjeant Knowles also re- ',ably showed the same ludicrous good-humour which . of David Cole, at Kiihreedy, in the comity of Li- turned thanks on their names being drunk ; and the Mr. Mut:nest's Ores of feigned intoxication diet merick, (a yeoman in the Henry corps).—The same splendid festivity was kept up till a late hour. play ; and this (b e than the old supposition) Sc. fellows attacked J. Clift's house, convenient to Kil- ' This day Mr. Sheriff Tho r pe gives his entertain- counts for the habit of making their slaves drunk, in breedy, and were much disappointed in not finding meat at the London Tavern. , which the Spartans so much delighted. The house the owner at home, as they avowed that their inten- . - - I well attended. lion was to shoot him. Clift, on hearing the op. FOOTPADS.—OnSundaymoriiing,aboutoneo'clock CORN rXCHANCE. OCT. 90.—The 91 irk.•t was well sop. preach of the party, escaped through a back door, a s L or d eidmouth was returning from dining with tie . e e Neu veneer, trade 414, and a . Nl•'!'"V'a erkell. — HaficY s• 1011rer•-••-ill V. a:, Riau', m 1.1011,1 articir4 " , r vitriation. ' ilv:!C•it I KU) 4AN.ii ET. - OOT. a A short time since, a ma n employed in repairing Richmond Park, in his carnage, he was attacked by To it:dc C.- noel, per store or •.7,. the chimney of the Chapter-house, at the Collegiate three footpads, just before he reached the Kingston R ee f ... a.. oe ro e. fle i Heed of Clink :Its flat r Church, Manchester, fell, and was so much injured gate of the Park, but the carriage going at a ver y Mutton . 4.. 04. n• 5.. 44. i 'Pram as not to survive the accident. It is here deserving brisk pace, they missed his Lordship, but attacked pork ::: r e °el to ' f i e' . f t ... ! S e l ,ft ' e l t :S es ' : • .• "•-- • • " C: B ./ . 100 of notice, that en that day precisely 40 years before, his footmen, who was close behind, and hie horse lamb .... .us. Od. to 0.. o'. pi es • the unfortunate man was born, at which time his taking fright at them, startled into a ditch end nearly , HAI -MARKPT. lin, father. was ertgaged in the erection o f the identical threw him off; I the robbers then took front him all Chimney. his morsel. (•1 ..es Straw ... , 11. leo, 04. to el. . *I. . SIDAIOUTII. IRELAND. i t 'n. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Porrsnotriv, Oct. 19.—Arrived his Majeatyia ship roc, from Barre; Tyne transport, from St. John's, Newfoundland ; and the Two Friends, from Monte Viden. PLYMOUTIi, OCT. 18.—Camg. U the Ad, Ehhgge, from Oporto; and the Skirt, trorn St. John's, Ne* Britain. DEIII Oh% 19. —Pa. boric by contrary skindv 4 the Orient, Rutter, for India. fn bringing op she lost an anchor and cable; tot g arrooLer, and now rides very well.—Arrived the lord Duncan ev Ira packet, end landed ti Mail f t ., t o Ostend. FLU o'CLotK.—The what continues to blow hard from the S.W. The Iphigenut frigate, and /bey sloop of war, and el large fleet of outward bound, all rode it out very well, with their topgallant-masts struck. KAMIC/TIR, OCT. 19.- I fhe following ships have put in .here this tide for shelter !--Ann, Ives, foc Halifax ; Antonio, for Bilbao ; Banman, tor Lisbon ; Maria, Ripps, fur Bristol ; Maria. Elliot ; Ilene, Follett ; Disptilch, Calriant, for Cl rent ; Regent, Wight, for Liverpool ; Prince of W let, for Cadiz ; Wiliirrm , Brown ; ind Liberty, Nulkor.— ; The schooner Forzey, Bone, has 10.4 an anchor irt the D,sros ; the Union, Brod, from London to Lyme, has It st her bowsprits I