The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-06-07 00:00:00

the whole view of thecretdal of his Majesty's Mi ,niters, in first mak ing the PeaCe, and in since using their most anxious endeavours to preserve the continuance of it to their country ; and he contended, that the verdict their Lordships of G& 'fry, or Not Gushy, must be pronounced upon the whole of it, and not upon parts picked out, as is subject perhaps to the charge of being erroneous or not the very best mode. of proceeding that might have been adopted under less difficult or less ardu ous circumstances. He said he perfedly agreed with the Noble Lord who had lately spoken, as to the latter part of his speech, that this was not a war for Malta or a war for the Island of Elba, but a war for the Peace of Europe, a war to check and restrain the ambitious spirit of ag grandizement, aggression, insult, and violence of the French Government, which had by a system of offensive and injurious condo& chewed that no country could repose in safety till that system was put an cud to. It was a war at once just and neces sary, a war for the preservation of our dearest rights and interests, to secure to iis our glorious Constitution, and all blessings which it held out to us,whi ch rendered the British people the envy and the admiration of all Europe. His Lordship, in a most animated and emphatic strain, worked up a warm and glowing eulogy on British laws, British freedom, and British happiness, to a perfect climax; and con cluded with saying, for the reasons he had stated, he would oppose every one of the resolutions. In the course of his Lordship's speech, he ad verted to the case of Captain l)'Auvergne, who he said was a subjed of his kingdom, and that con sequently his case stood on very different grounds tilt= the case of a subjed of this country would do. lie also denied that his Majesty's Ministers had any information of Colonel Setrastian?s conduet in Egypt, till his report was published, and they re. ceived a dispatch from General Stuart, informing them of Srbatiani's conduit in Egypt, with respell to his application to him (General S.) as to the non-evacuation of Egypt. Earl SPENCER said, he had no intention to have spoken that eight, but having listened with the greatest attention to the arguments of the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack, and bei7.3 perfedly conscious, that no man was more capable of defending the conduct of his Majesty's Ministers, if it could be defended, he must still find himself under the necessity of voting for the Resolutions moved by his Noble Friend. The arguments of the Noble and Learnesi Lord appeared to him to be very poor ones, where arguments so much stronger were necessary to be urged. At that late hour of the night, the Earl said, he would not go into detail or attempt to follow the Noble and Learned Lord in ' his extensive course of reasoning upon the Resolu tions, which he had gone through in a retrograde way ; he would content himself with making two vs three observations on points which had fallen from the Noble and Learned Lord In the first place the Noble and Learned Lord had said, that the case of CaptainD' Auvergne was not before Par: Lament. He would ask, whose fault was it that it was not before Parliament? He had himself asked for papers respelling it, and a Noble Secretary of State had promised to lay irioiMation respix.g kg it before the House. but he never had made good his promise. With regard to there having been a difference as to the ground of complaint between the treatment of a person who was a subjeit of two countries, he could not speak to such distinetions, because he did not understand them. But to admit that the distiation was a solid one, as , Asplied to Capt. D'Auvergne, what could be said as" to the case of Captain Durnaresque, who was' not a subjed of France, but a native of Jersey or Guern-i. seas l With regard to Ministers not knowing Colonel Seba.stianrs mission, till r.' s report was: published, he begged leave to rett.- them 40 Ane sf Lord Hawkesbury's letters, written. antecedent to the pub lication of that report, in which letter they would find Colonel Sebastiani and his mission mentitr d. His Lordship added one observation or two relative to the conduct of Ministers, resi. , :fting the ce-..non of the Cape of Good Hope, and c6..i‘iuded with re. , that he should vote for the Resolutions. Lord PELH:s.M rose to reply to the observations of the Noble Earl, and first as to Captain' D'A u vergne. He admitted that he was mistaken, when on a former day, he had said that Capt. "D'Auvergne was liberated immediately on the :17- 2 1ication of the British Minister, but he had since t -.und, that he had been confined three or four dia . !, afterwards. His silence on that subjal had been in consequence of an application from the friends of Captain D'Auvergne, who feared that the agitation of that matter in the British Fags:anent might injure his interests at Pa ris. His Lordship explained Lord Hawkeshery's mention of Colonel Sebastiani, as Ministers knew by the dispatch of General Stuart, that Colonel Sebastian; was in Egypt, but did not know how offensively he had acted there and in Syria, till they saw his report. Lord DE DUNSTANVILLE, in a short speech, stated, that as. Piedmont was in a state of military orrundissemext, before the First Consul annexed l'iedmont to the French territory, it made no great difference ' • as to the French troops invading Swit zerland, Ministers had remonstrated with the French Government upon it, and done their duty to prevent the occnrrence, by an offer of pecuniary as sistance. Upon the French troops not evacuating Batavia, they had sent the order to retain the Cape, With regard to the declaration of the Noble Earl who moved the Resolutions, that the people were in high spirits, and better reconciled to the war than at the former period of it ; the reason was, an invasion was threatened, and the people joined heart and hand to repel it, and he doubted nut they would do so again, and crush the man who dared to attempt an invasion. His Lordship said, he should vote against tlw propositions. Lord CLIFTON ( Earl Darnley) said, he did not rise to take up.the time of the House, after having so lately occupied so much of it. Ha rose briefly to szatc, that he wished the Resolutions had not been pursued after the sense of the House had been taken upon the first, and the whole tendency of them so fully debated last Thursday. with regard to the first, he did not object to if, but he could nut vqt for the other two; no; did he at all approve any thing that bore the appearance of a faaious oppose, non to Ministers ; up CO the making of the peace, he thought they ;gird perfesllv right,' and had Ins cor -441 s upport. . Some part of their conduCl he did not quite approve, but he would always discriminate, and not oppose all their Tfleaftlie6 because he dis liked one of them. Lord Grenville attd Lord Clifton severally Mit explained. At a trartet alter two the Wavle divided all the first proposition.—Cantents 17. Non-Contents 86. • The second and third propositions were negatived.' Adjourned at half past two in the morning. • HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAIi, JUNE 6. Mr. Alderman Coombe presented a petition against the Bill for crating a free Coal Market in ' the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Bo rough of Southwark, which was ordered to lie on the table. A good deal of private business was afterwards transaeted. ARMY ESTIMATES. The SF.CRETARY at WAR, previous to his moving the Resolutions which he meant to propose, was desirous to call the attention of the House to the situation of the Country in a military point of view. The estimates of this year, as they must ob serve, much exceeded those of the two former years, hut Isere rendered necessary by the menaces of the enemy, and the precautions which this great country should take, not merely for its own defence, hut for all the purposes of th►e war, which it was reluc tantly forced into. It being, however, an objet of peculiar necessity to provide for the home defence of the United Kingdom, it was deemed prudent to aug►nent the Militia to an unusual extent, which of course must be productive of a proportionate expen diture. He then descanted on the necessary provi sions to be made both for the regulars and the mi litia, and concluded wish moving the following re solutions : _ Resolved, 'flat a sum not exceeding 20,1371. and 4d. be granted to his Majesty, fin defraying the charge of full pay to supernumerary officers of h;s Maicat)'s forces, from the 2Stli day of December, IMOZ, to the 24th day of December, 1803, both incluave, being a spare of 365 days. Resolved, That a sum of $,llOl. 2s. and 11d. be granted to his Maj sty, for defraying the expoices of the Royal Military Col lege, for the year 1803. Jl,ooot. for expenses expeelcd to be incurred in the year 1803, on account of the Royal Military Asylum at CheLsea. 28.11,0001. to defray thecharges of the In and Uut-Pensioners of Chelsea and ilmainharn hospitals. 218,2721. to defray the chniges thr one•ntgiment of light dra . goons, and one West India regiment retained upon the esti*. , blishment of the army, and an augmentation to die Dragood Guards, and Dragoons in the United Kingdom, and to the 3d Regiment of Foot Guards. ;$l,OOOl. to defray the expenses for additional General and General Staff Officers in the United Kingdom. 'Zi41,3331. to defray the expenses of the Barrack department. :35,7611. fur the charge of appointing effective Captains to the troops and companies held by the Colonels, Lieutenant- Colonels, and Majors of the respeclive regiments of cavalry and.infantry. 38,3431. for contingencies for the embodied Militia of the United Kingdom. 145,0001. Cir encreased rates of subsistence to liikeepers, for the expense of Militia in their quarters. 416,0001, for defraying the charge of the Supplementary Militia in that part of the United Kingdom called Great Bri tain. 1,747,3701. for defrkring the charge of the embodied Militia of the Untied Kital/um, and of the Royal Corps of Miters in Devon and Cornwall. 900,0001. for defraying the charges of the Volunteer Corps of Cavalry and Infamry. 143,6911. to defray the cha rem of the clothing of the embo died Militia, .and of the Royal Cobh of Miners. 31,0001. to &fray the charges of the Military Avylutn.at Che'srm: 282,0001. to defray the charges of the Office of Ordnance for that !art of the Viiitel - Khigilora called Great Britain. 20,0001. to defray, the charui of She °thee of Ordna.nce for that ache. Unita:di:Meow -Zed Iceland,. 98,901 to answer outstatirlani claims ott the We Board of Ordnance in that part of United Kingd..oth Mr. WINDHAM said he did mean to oppose the resolutions, but reprobated the idea of sneaking out of a peace into a war not accompanied with a sufficient degree of exertion. The country should hr 'jive to its danger, and exert all its native energy. We ought not to proceed upon a system of fallacy and confidence. The nation was in itself and its re sources sufficiently strong against all its enemies, even werejthey much more powerful ; hut to meet its difficulties and dangers, so as to punish the pre sumption of its adversary, none of its means should be withholden, hut its utmost efforts most strenu ously exerted. lithe Government was resolved on a real and effeCtual defence, it should aft upon the principle of 4 , diamond cut diamond," and do that which their foe had the insolence to threaten. The force which France world employ against us was what, professionally speaking, must be considered as a regular force, and rkilars must undoubtedly' be met and opposed to regulars. He by no means wished to disparage the merit and discipline of the militia, but he feared that system was carried to so great an extent as very much to injure the recruit me for the line. For all the purposes of war he wished to have more army though there should be kas militia, because the latter could only be effeaive for purposes of defence ; whereas a war, such as we were now engaged in, could not be brought to a successful termination, with any certainty, without ...vat and offensive operations. The Ministers here-' otiose spoke of experimental war and experimental peace. Their experiment was tried, and they' might now judge whether or not they could boast of the success of it. The experiment the enemy intended was that of invasion. An invading army had great advantage even from its desperation, but we should take care to be fully prepared with troops as disciplined as theirs; and though this country had sufficient resources both of defence and offence, they should with re.nd, as well as mean' fully prepare for the conflict. Mr. PITT.—" I know not whether the resolutions now proposed arc meant to include the whole of the force to be employed, whether regular or irregular ; but if this force is no more than has been now pro posed, if th.tt be all, I will not, for obvious reasons, now state, I cannot conceive it to be by any means sufficient. If it be inadequate to all the purposes required—if the country has not confidence in its strength, that is the reason why the force of the country should remain as it is. My Right Hon. Friend, the Secretary at War, says, that the force is greater now than ever it was before at the com mencement of any war ; but I hope he will inform us whether that be all which is meant to be pro- vided," The SECRETARY at WAR renewed his as sertion, that our force, both naval and mi:itary, was much more now than at the commencement of any former war, and very ample at this moment for a substantial defence. He was very far from saying, that the war should bt locked up, and con fined merely to a system of defence; or that we were in • danfer from those phantoms of invasion, which Mr. Vbindham had conjured up. Since the peace s there was little diminution of our naval or m ilitary force ; that inert system bad never been ii4opted ;Awl thoush he felt spa.dent in the , ..,, -. , strength of thi! cotmt”., at this funmettt, iruneu ' it to be supposed, that he was oi opittios the troops already provided for, were sufficient for every pur pose, or that the country ought not to hlve a dis posable force, whenever it was thoughtnthat it could operate with died. He expressed his dislike of the despondent tone in which Mr. Windham usually spoke both of peace and war. The preparations go ing forward in the ports of France, and its allies, would of coarse induce us to have recourse to offen sive operations ; but it would be imprudent to let them know or be apprized of what our military sys tem was,and as he made little doubt but they would make the experiment of a descent, he would tell no tales. It was said that regulars should be met and encountered by regulars. He admitted that posi tion to bo generally true ; but every one who knew the discipline of the Militia of the United Kingdom at present, would not fcar to oppose them to any regular force whatever. Besides, had we not within our own time sufficient proof that the armed and disciplined force of any country was, in its defence, capable of contending against regulars of any de scription ? Did not the Americans fight in the cause of liberty and independence, though always beaten when they come to a pitched battle with the English troops, and though infinitely inferior in soldierly dis cipline to our militia, prove ultimately successful ? In a later instance we beheld the King of Prussia nusrching at the head of a triumphant army into the heart of France, and repulsed and obliged to retreat before the national guards, new levied and undisciplined as they were, and while that country was attacked on all sides, and in a state of the tit- riiost disorder and confusion. Such was the triumph of patriotic men, and what he would ask, was not, :if their country was attacked, to he expelled from the energy, the recollection of ancient renown, and .the native valor and independent spirit of English , men ? They were more than able to repel all the attempts of the haughty and insolent foe that should have the presumption to attack them.. Mr. PITT —" I am happy to find that the pre sent establishment is not meant to be the limit of our force, and that it is intended to take means more effedual than have yet been adopted. The militia force can only .be considered as supplemental to that of the army ; and though, perhaps, well esta blished in the opinion of the country, only fitted her defensive operations. They can at least only ad in conjundion withregulars. I hope that on as early a day as possible, we shall have the system of the Ministers developed. Te me it appears at present much too languid. The country 'should be .taught to make up its mind to all the sacrifices it may he called upon to make either of blood or treasure, for objects which Englishmen never can nor will re linquish. A system of merely defensive war is not honourable to England ; nor will it ever give a suc cessful termination to this contest. We are told that we - have 70,000 men baliotted in the Militia, and regularly disciplined. But what are we afraid of ? When we want men to he employed abroad, what is thepolicy of havieg 70,000 met locked up at home. He wished to have it avowed by Minis ters, that we were to have a strong offensive force, though he could not expo% nor would it be proper for them to say when or where it should be applied. We have, it seems, 110,000 men actually in arms, independently of the force we maintain in the i ast Indies. In the last war we had 100,000 by ballot, but if 70,000 men arc to be locked up here, where such a number can scarcely be wanted, our dispose aide force will be • vory.small indeed, without much greater exertions. In my judgment, the principle we should proceed upon is this—that whatever is . necessary for the public defence, and the honour and interests of the country, whether of men or money, or both, must be obtained." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he perfectly agreed with his Right Hon. Friend, that what was necessary for the public de fence must be obtained. Those Gentlemen who could not rely on the strength of 70,000 discipline militia, should recollea, that wherever occasion re quire it, we had Asa; a great subsidiary force, both in Ireland and Eng►land, of yeomanry and volun teers, who, he made no doubt, would be ready to put themselves foremost in the defence of their country. He was far from moving, that this war should be merely defensive. The population of the country was equal to any augmentation which exigencies might require ; but till some exi gency of moment, it was necessary to regard the convenience of commerce, agriculture, and industry of every kind. Ile wished not to hold out .any fallacious expedations. The time may &rive, when it would be necessary to call out all the strength of this great nation, and he made no doubt but that call would be attended to with alacrity. But, though he would always attend to the feelings and convenience of the peAple, he must observe, that the. danger of invasion had hitherto been greatly uxder-rated. He had never •under rated it, though he knew the population, and the visit of Engl4hmen, were more than 54414:1ent to repel, when called upon, any danger with which a , foreign foe would ,resume to menace this country. There was one subjea, however, on which he could not fprbear making an observation, however delicate it may. be.. His Majesty's Ministers were not want ing in means of information ; and he could assure the House, that' the public were not by any mean* apprised of the extent" the military preparations mai ,ing in of r the ports ranee and its allies, nor was it prudent of the means 'alien by this country to meet or to prevent them. As to every thing else, he need only say, that the fleet sent in Ito to the Bal tic, was most exposed to the enemy, from the dif ferent advantageous , positions which he occupied ; that we had the same fleets, and the same Officers still, that then returned triumphant ; that there was every disposition, in every quarter of the country, to meet every exertion which circumstances may re quire, whether fimoicial or military, and that the l'alliament, not pledged to any specific measures, , had already, in the Address, assured his Majesty, that they would use the utmost exertions to support the dignity of the crown, and the honour and inte rests of the kingdom. Mr. WINDHAM explained, and Gen. Tarleton, and Sir J. M. thilteney spoke in support of the re solutions, after which they were agreed to without a division. Mr. POLE then moved, that a sum not exceeding 282,06 N. I fs. 3d. be granted to his Majesty for the service of the Ordpance of Great Britain and Ireland, for the year 1803, which was d win. co. The flutist' . consideration Ort e h e e Customs Conso lidation sin w as deferred to Thursday next, and the House adjourned till to-nvartow, ~~ ~~ rHEANIE-ROrA., NATAIARKET. TIIIS EVENINQ will be presented THE DEAD ALIVE. Air Walter Weathercock, Mr. Kureon;•Faiward, Mr. Tree man ; Morlev, (with an additional Song) Mr. Mithews ; Wig Ilebe Wiectertop, Mrs. Keys; Caroline Sandford, Mrs. Atkins; Comb!, Mrs. Gibbs. • Alter 11114.11,. a Comedy in Three Act;, Cigitgd WAYS AND MEANS. . Xis David Du:;der, Mr. Mathew; Random, Mr. /I. Kelly, Sesuple, Mr. Trucrnaii Old Random, Mr. Chapman ; Nut Peery, Mr. Dearman. Lady .Dundar ' Mrs. Ward; Kitty, Mrs. Gibbs; Mrs, Peery, Mrs. Kendall. TO which will lit added, ' 081 ; Or, THREE-FINGER'D JACK. To-morrow, the Iron Chest. THE a RrrisH PRESS• LONDON, TUESDAY, JLNE 7. We yesterday stated, that every day would widen the breach between the present Administration and Mr. PITT. Our speculation has been fulfilled to the letter. In a conversation which took place last night in the House of Commons upon the Army Es timates, Mr. Pi rt stated, in direa opposition to Mr. ADDINGTON, that instead of a Militia, locked up for defence, we should have an effeCtive dis poseable force, to the same amount, for offensive operations. Mr. ADDINGTON and the SECRE.TART at WAR contended that the population of the coun try was equal to any emergency, but deprecated any call upon it until the arrival of such an event. They made, at the same time, the alarming admis. sion, that the public were not aware of the extent of the warlike preparations made in the ports of France and her Allies. Mr. An oiNovoe's policy may be the more economical, but Mr. Pi xx's is the more safo. In Switzerland or in Prussia it would be fair enough, perhaps, to cry up the population of the country as the measure of its military strength ; but without meaning the slightest disrespe4l to our Volunteer Corps, we fear the principle cannot cor retly apply to the commercial country of England. In the eventful period of the last war, battles were fought in France, in I Tolland, in Italy, and in Ger many. In none of them, however, do we find that the fate of the country has been decided by its po pulation, but, on the contrary, by the number and discipline of the army which it had brought into the field. . I Intelligence reached town on Sunday last, that La Pensee French frigate, of 44 suns, has been taken on her rbturn from St. Donnngn. She was chaced by the Minotaur and Thunderer, detached on that service from the fleet under the command of Aimiral Coat:a *Lim. L'lmpatinte corvette, of - 18 gun's, from Senegal, was also captured off Brest on the 29th ult. by the Naiad frigate, who al-o took several French merchantmen. A small pri vateer, with g 2 men, has been taken by Lieutenant La House, in a revenue cutter, off Portland. On Saturday last; as his Royal Highness the Duke of G LGUCEST ca was proceeding to St.Jamwl's, with his retinue, his Royal Highness's came in con. tact, at the corner of Grafron-street, with one in which a Lady was alone, and struck it with such violence against a post that she became greatly alarmed. Her screams brought Mr. Kra sv, jun.to her assistance, who, at the risk of his life, re, lieved her from danger. The unsettled state of the weather prevented Mrs. Tki EL LUSSON from giving her masquerade which. was announced for last night. burn the elegance that charatlerized this Lady's former fires, tickets are sought for with the greatest avidity. She *pa tronized Mr. Jo NNSTON'S benefit (who painted and managed the scenery for her last masquerade) at - Drury-lane 'I heatre last night. Amongst the number of beautiful dresses which graced the Drawing-room on Saturday, was that of Lady TARA, who wore a white crape petticoat, with a superb silver fringe, richly ornamented with shell work, embroidered in silver; spangled drapery of British lace ; rich silver spangles in shell work, and trimmed with Mecklin lace fancifully displayed over the- petticoat, forming a part of the train, which also was of British lace; the body and sleeves of Mecklin lace, trimmed with Vandyke fringe and lace ; head-dress, diamond bandeau, plume and crescent of diamonds, lace turban and lappet, four ostrich feathers, and bird of Paradise plume. Yesterday afternoon,June 6th, during the thunder storm, a bali of tire entered the house of Mr. Luffman, - the King's Arms, College -street, Westniinster, by the chimney, and fell in a room on the first floor, where it burst, attraaed by the bell wire on either side, tilling the room apparently with fire. The wains cot was very much scorched, but providentially no ' other damage was sustained. The family were neces: sarily much alarmed ; fire engines have been on the spot ever since; and the number of people attracted to the house from curiosity is almost incredible. At the same instant the above circumstance occurred, a tray in a butcher's shop close by was lifted up nearly 2 feet, and two men and a boy who were in the shop struck speechless, in which state they re mained a short time. NOTTINGHAM ELECTION.—The elisaion com menced here on Monday the 30th of May, when the numbers were as follows; dole. Birch. Ist Day - - 109 - 100 2d Day - 42 - 200 3d Day . . 180 - 90 ' sastasa.a. • • " 4th Day - - 218 - 202 sth Day - 152 268 701 4 'B6O On Friday last the Risco RDER made a report to His MAJESTY of 13 prisoners under sentence of death in Newgate; when Abraham, Nicholas, for se, creting a letter containing four bank notes, the pro perty of J. Goldsmith, which came to his hands by virtue of his employment in the General Post Office. Robert Smith, alias Gordon, for assaulting Francis Treadwell on the Highway, and robbing him of 11.95. ticl. and Pow Gregory, for publishing, as true, a forged promissorynote for 11. with intent to defraud Michael Goodhall, were • severally ordered for ex** eution to•morrow 1110:1144. t T' 7- 1 0 Fad