The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-02-04 00:00:00

t IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—TeesnAr, FIB 3. HOUSE OP' COMMONS. BARR ACK CokiMISSIONf r:C. id ftrin7 some guns and musketry it tn her, she li•wered her sails, and hailed that she had atm& She is called the Jima, commanded by Captain Francis Capelle, with 31.) men, m , iunting four guns, and has on hoard a great number of small arms. Had sailed from Flushing 12 days ago, and made two captures ; one of whic'i, a large Prussian ship, laden with a valuable cargo of timber, hound to London, i re•captured on the same wirning. I have the honour to he, &c. (Signed) J. Tr ic er, Lieut. and Corn. To Itsce-Adialial Russell, .t.. Stc. The House proceeded to the hearing of an Ap peal from the Court of Chancery in Ireland, in which Arthur Burke Baker, Esq was the Appel ! int, and Lord Viscount Clifton and Eleanor Doyle. were the Respondents. Thc: Solicit-sr-General and Mr. Scarlet, were hard in behalf of the Appellant. as were Mr. Richards in,l Mr. Leach, on the part of the Respondents. The Solicitor-General having addressed their Lordships in reply, the further con sideration was appointed fur Monday next. Viscount Bolingbroke touk the oaths and his seat. On the motion of Lord WA LSIISIGHAM, the Militia Service Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. 1 , 11. Higham pretented at the btr, the Account of the Commissioners for the Reduftion of the Ni. ton Debt, for the last year, ending the Slat of January, 1307. Ordered to lie on the rabic. After the disposal of acme private business, the Hct:se adjourned until to-rnlrrow. The AtioiNli'-Gi44-R.L rO4e, he said, in pursuance of his notice of yesterday, to move for lease to bring In a Bill to enlarge the powers of the Commissioners for examining the Barrack Ac counts. His Majesty had, by the advice of the Lords of the 1 reasury, appointed Messrs. Charles Harris and William Bragge, as Commissioners, to examine the accounts relative to the Barrack De partment. In this business these Gentlemen had proceeded for some time, but it had lately been found necessary to invest them with certain addi tional powers, not comprehended in their original appointments ; namely, the power of examining upon oath the persons who came before them ; and the power of calling for accounts aid papers rela tive to matters conwoned with their department.--- He took the liberty of moving for this Bill, for the purpose of enabling them to proceed with effeet in the discharge of that duty which was imposed upon them. It was not, however, in. tended, that they should be enabled to commit ; but that they should call upon the Attorney- General to apply to the Court of Exchequer, for the purpose of infiilliniz a fire ; and also to give them power to adininisier oaths, the want of which had found to be very iiiroireciiirnt. Su7h were the objets of this Bill : and he apprehended that thete would be no oppoidtion to it. The Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman then concluded with movi. , g for leave to bring in a Bill, i• to empower the Corriros,innezc of the B.urack Department to administer Oaths to witnesses called before them, and to call fur the produtthin of such Accounts, Papers, and Ducuments, as they may deem neces wy fur the investigation of such business and mat ters as may be submitted to them." Leave g!ven. Mr. ROSE gave notice, that, on Thursday next, he should move for the prod:id - lion cif the opinion given by the Attorney and Soln.itor-General upon that part of the Third Report which was submitted to them. relative to Mr. Alex. Diviscin. Mr. BIDDL7LPH gave ntiae, that, upon Tues day next, he should bring forw.ad the motion of which he hail fornsetly given nctiee, relative to the Abolition of useless Places, Pensions, exorbitant Icec, and Sinecures. MS. K RICK presented a Petition from the Clergy of Scotland, praying that the Bill presented to the House, by the Lord Advocate of Scotland, for sus;•ending the powers of the Lords of Council and Si-ssion, relative to the lu7menting the Stipends of the Scottith Cler,z7, should not be permitted to pass. The Hon. Member hord the House would hear Counsel in their behalt, ,r.sior to their going i..to Committee on tae said Bill. This, the SPEAKER observed, was irregular, as the 331 had beer. ilteady read a second time. Mr. E ENRICK oiemrved, be was not aware the Bill had been MAJ. a second time. Mr. ADAM oh:erved, that even were it not irregular to hear Ciuthsel at this period of their prmeadings, ya is w0:3.1 be imprudent to im pede the wog: ess of the Bill through the House, as its otij•il was to hani4it the Clatgy of Scotland. He then proceeded to prate the nanite and objell of the Bill in question ; he °heaved, that this all was not ir , i:nded to MAT any permanent n•gulation resprel in:e the income of the Srotti;h Cler7y, or d••pi icc the . n of any ri: - .:11t which they po•vz.sr,l ; lie trusted the flause was IC/0 well acquainted with the general eiroprh?ty and go.h.lne,s vi the intentions of the Mover of this Bill, to f:Speu him for a mom,:nt of any int•iition to molest diitterf., mit:h less essen tially injure, the Ciergy ni iieJ:land, a body of men whom all who atritew mast revere; as well on account of their benevolence and worth in private life, al their teal and alacrity in the rasfarmance of their religion: public dune.; the irnention of the BA was only to suspend, fora short time (till the 1Q . :1 of May neat), ceteein pownrs vested in the Curt of enliMli Court had lanly been overwhelmed w , th an enormone load of bu r.ess ; the views of the :lover were in the f.;gliest degree fricadly to the Cirry I and it nnield be found, that the result of this appliention, to suspend these powers, would llc highly advantageous, bath to the Cierzy and the Coto t of Swum+ in Scotland. In the present sate of the Bill, it was impossible its general prin ciple could be uncletstwod. The Petnion, prc.iented by the I-lon. Memhar, contained a •AgVe and gene. rat ouiretion. not to the modhicatien of the f.tt: to the principle, of which princirles tau peti none., Inuit be ueces;arily ignorant, until the fill VAS 1a..: oat - re the fornmwee, and the 61. inks tilted up. Limeade, was intiinesi to believ:, House would permit the iSiil to go through its present stages, reserving their final opinion, mull the circunsttancea, necescary to firm ajust decision on the merits and intentions of - th-r Bill, should he more fully laid before the Committee, and corrimu , nicated to the House. _ Mr. KENRICK observed, that as he had only just now received the Petition, at the dcnr of the House, he was unable to say, whether the Prayer of the Petition was against the modification, or the principle of the Lord Advocate's Bill. The LORD ADVOCATE•' o'ssorved, he could he, of all men, least suspeeted of bringing into Parliament, a Bill, militating, in the least, against the Clergy of that country, to which he had been, front his earliest infancy, fondly attached ; he was conscious, ,that, whatever might be the present opinions of the Scottish Clergy, or this House, it would soon be discovered, he had :Vied on tile most friendly principle to the Petitioners, namely. that of procuring summary relief for the Clergy, by an adequate augmentation of their salaries, with out at the same time bringing additional burdens on the Landholders of Scotland; he added, that the ohjeCtion, which was general, was only against the principle of the Bill, of whicli they certainly could not be adegnate japes in i's present stage ; and that this ohjeCtion had beet hastily made to the House, from the alarm naturally resulting from an idea that some great change was about to take pLice in the ecclesiastical state of Society. As this could only arise from a gross misconception or misrepre sentation on the part of the Petitioners; he hoped the Bin would he suffered to go through its course. On the motion of Mr. KENRICK, the Petition was ordered to lie on the table, until the Report of the Committee on the said Bill be hid before the Hubse. Lord FOLKSTONE informed the House, that he would deter his intended motion, relating to several A!ls for the regulation of Contested Elec. tions, until Monday next 0,1 the :notion ot the LORI) ADVOCNTE, the Scotch Clergy Bill was crdered to be committed °a Mot day rear. Mr. fdtDonald then brought tip a Petition from the West India Planters, relative to a supply at herrings from our fisheries, for the maintenance of the Negroes employed in our colonies in the West Indies, aliich was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. PARNELL gave notice, he would to-mor row move for the postponement of the consideration of the Mayo Ele,Rion Petition to a future day. Mr. CORBY observed, that this had already given much anxiety to the people of Ireland, and therefore wished the Hon. Gentlemen would name the day. Mr. PARNELL assured him he was evilly anxious for its determination, and would therefore bring it before the House as speedily as pos s ible. Mr. HENRY MARTIN gave notice he would move, to-morrow, fur the discharge of the ord..: on the Petition for the late LleFtion of Downpatrick. Mr. Grattan brought up a Petition from theiTan riers of the City of Dublin, against the Oak Bark Lill, which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Lord Temple then brought up the Report of the Committee on the Petition of the Sierra I.cone Company, which was otdered to he on the table, be printed, and taken into the cons:dcration of a Com mittee of the whole House, on Monday next. Mr. Hoblicuse then hrougf t up the Report of the Committee on the East India Judicature Dill, which was read, and ordered to lie en the table. The reduced ii,t of the Members appointed to try the merits of the Shrewsbury Petition w.is tires pre smted to the House, the names are As follow Buller, Lsq. P.alN4 Sheldon, Isq. It.gid lion. N. Vant.ttart. ,lonn Ramsay, Esq. Win Gore, E•q , Slisidao&Carcw, 11. Esq. Wm. 4nn, Lord VI•C F.11...d0ne. Hon..locrqyn Pearce. K. C Ferign.un, EN. Esq C 140111..1.1.!ly, E.q. F. limner, FA. Oil! •rne Merkh•nl Esq. - Ell 1 EMPI.E moved the Order of the Day fir the second reading of the Land Tax Commissioners' Bill, which was read, and ordered to be committed for Tuesday fortnight. Mr. Hobhouse brought up the Report of the Committee on the Irish Trea'ury Bills Bill, the Amendments were read and agreed to, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-mnnnw•. Also the Report of the Committee no the Bill for preventing the SeduElion of the Military; which, with the Report on the Irish Gunpowder Bill, was read and agreed to, and the several Bills ordered to be read a third time to.rnorrow. Mr. Vassittart brought in a B:11 for suspending the Paiment of all Drastbscks and Bounties nn Spirits. exchanged between England and Irdand, which wss read a first time, and ordered to be read A seco.:J ;:me to•mcrrow. On the Mltinn i•f Mr. V ANSI ITART, the Howe went into a Contrni:tem nn the Tobacco Bi:1. The Report was then brought up by Mr. 1 - 1013- house, including a new clause, peratittiag the lin prtation uf Turkish Tobacco, in small parcel.; which wa, azree.: to, :And leave given to bring in J B:11 t tt ereto. On the mutton of E.irl TEMPLE, the House • . - re,olved itself into a Committee on the titans In. trrcourse Bill. The resolthions wile then read and agrced to, and the Report ordered to be received fo-nioi row. Earl . I . E.‘iPLE moved, That the House should to-morrow resolve itself into a Committee, to take irito consideration several ads relative to our Trade to and from the Cape of G.iod Hope."—Ordered. Mr. Highara then presented at the liar of the House, an iicr,iunt from th- Corainii,iontrs ap pointed to consider the probable means of the Re. duilion of the National Delit, for one year, admg the 31 of January, 1807.—Aujourned. OFFICIAL DISPATCH GENERAL BENNINGsEN TO THE KING OF PRUSSIA From ea Kant:Atig " I have the happiness most reipedfully to ac isaint your Majesty, that I Lave succeeded in re plAsing the enemy, who ye.terday morning attacked me on every pin: near Puhusk. The main attack was made bi General Sone'', r, at the head of 15,0J0 me.... on Illy lei: wine. near Farms:tanks. iu the view 'of getting rssession t..t‘n ; I had only .7100 Men under'General Baggoliant ft ~,,, r inLe the enemy on that side; they made a brave thstent.'s till I sent a reinforc.anent GE three battalions of resere•-, and afterwards three mire und:r Genet al Tolstoy, L 7 which means the right wing of the French %Its to tally deeeted. The second Attack, equally brisk, was made on my right flank, where General Berke ley AL: Tilly was risted with the van-guard. This wing extended on the road towards Stzesocyn to a small wood, where I had placed a covered battery, which the enemy attempted to twin I therefore made a movement backwards on the right, which succeeded so well, that I not only fius:rated the at tempt of tl:e enemy, but was also so futtuaete as to reinforce General Berkeley de Ten with three bat telions, ten squadrons, and one battery, to repulse the enemy ; on which the enemy retreated from the wood. 6. The attack commenced at eleven in the morn ing, and lasted till dark. From the relation of all the prisoners, I WAS opposed by Messrs. Murat, Davou,t, and Lasnes, with an army exceeding 50,1,0 r; men. They have lost ab,,sit 5300, accord ing to their own account. " All my troops forght with the greatest bravery. The following Generals particularky dis tingnidled themselves—Osterman, Tolstoy, Bar ke lay de Tolly, Prince Dolgorauky, Baggonant, Som. molt and Sitoff of the Infantry, also Colorrels Da viddoffsky and Gondoff, &c. &c. &c. " Field-Marshal Kamenskoy departed from Pul task for Ostralenska on the morning of the With of December, previous to the attack, and again gave up the whole command to me, so that i have had the g.•,,d forrunc to command alone in Otis affaiss, and to beat the enemy. 4 , I have to lament, that the long ex?erted suc cour of General litrshovden had not arrived, al though he was oaly two German miles distant, and even halted half way. I should otherwise have been able to follow up my viaory. I have further to lament, that the total want of provisions and forage oblige me to retire with my corps to Rozan; the enemy has not molested me in any retreat. (Signed) "BaNNiacsss." " Rosen, the U;th (15th) Dec ME " TO THE R!OHT HON. WM. WINDHAM. The following Proclamation, in the style of the Blockading of England, arpears to have been issued at Posen : •I• :—We shall not lay down our arms, until a ge neral peace ILA, coi.firmed and tetured the power of our allies ; until it has re.tored to our commerce its freedom, and civets to Us our colonies. On the Ellie and on the Oder we hare conquered l'imdii.trerry, all our posssessions in India, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Spanish Colonies." By this Proclamation we are threatened with a diminution of our power, and the restoration of cur conquests. The mind is easily depressed by the first impression, and such threats have great influence upon the weaker part of mankind ; yet, boldly as the assertion is made, I trust that we are not to be alarmed by menaces, or under the smallest appre hension of their consequences. For in what manner are they to be accomplished ? It must be by distress or , • 'quest that we shall be forced to yield to the power of the enemy ; for negotiation at present is at an end, and unlikely to be resumed immediately. Ent ho..vever we may despise such vapouring, this Proclamation merits some degree of attention, as it breathes the sentiments of the vittor, addressed to a successful army. France has now under her authority the greatest part of the Continent, from the o.!er to the Po. Most of the unsuhj:igated States of Europe, are already half vanquished by their pitiful policy, and the apprehensions they entertain of the aF roach of a French army ; and, unless they can rouse them selves into action, and relinquish their ancient pre judices, they must inevitably fa:l. Spain, nith bold and intrepid race of men, v‘ho detest the vet y ;lame of a Frenchman, has been long dependant upon France ; and it is evident, that Portugal is doomed to be a viftim of vengttar.ce against this country. There is a despording kind of language crept into society, repugnant to that true spirit of patriotism whlch Las raised this Empire to its present state of eminence, and it is accompanied by an acquiescing disposition to yield to events, which may possibly arise. Lvery art will be used to encourage this temper of mind, in order to slacken our energy, and to foment discord and disunion amongst us But the genius and spirit o; Britain, 1 hope, is not to be shaken by the intri;;ue or eraftine:s of France. Every nerv: will be strained, wherever France has influence, to ruin our Commerce I But can any mandate of the wildest or most extravagant despot ism, destroy, at once, the manufascrures, the trade, the customs and habits of all mankind ? Is it possible to deprive liambure, An:sterdam, Lisbon, Cadiz, C non, &c. kc. fr om any commercial in tercourse with this country, or the rest or the w..rld i ducts &sten uould be to defeat the Tyrar.t.'s own pitrprae. tor if t were ;'ralicaisle, Ake'Chlfttrit thirst decline ; 'the merchanq' ships must rot in their 'unfrequented poits ; the Marioers and int:Aim:co must perish for want ; and the barbarous ages tf incivilization, plunder, rapine, and devastation, iraura ensue ; anJ, melancholy as it Imey appear to the refl •Flint ro'nal, they! tits asters make rapid profrera wherertr a French arn.y appears. Such hcarrots should impa ess upon eveq Briton's mind, the moil Anrioes solicitude, and most manly eff:rl4, to lvdp danger at a distance from us. But C ullmerce ank Colonies are the r,reat obje'ls of Prance ; and bee ideas are to place the trade of the universe andtir her immediate auspices; when Cwoaria are to bb established, at such central ports as may be mode commodious fur reception of the different mer chan.ilze of the world ; and I have l.eard that stir re steps have already been taken to forward such k measure at Amsterdam. By this means, it is pro. posed to encourage 411 Nations to a free and brit:. tempted Trade and thereby endeavour In uoift them in a commercial interest slaanst this count. But these vast projefts of ambition, if tot alreaflfy checked, may be fo!led in the execution ; and event% may still arise, which shall at once defeat BRA mighty visions of universal greatness and goit. riority. We have alreaey seen France, Spain, 'Holland America, and a Not thern Confederacy, in hostiEt* to Great Brivain, and have withitood the presStrit of such a corabination. At present, The fleet . % of Fran e, Spain, and Holland, arta in the inA contemptible and deplorable condition, and tyint in all direnionc, on the approach of the British fikk. The Dane 'will be forced to arm, hope, in favour England ; but it will be cnr fault, if the scatterek ships of the Minor powers should fall into the hkent§is of our enemies —We mast anticipate their int4r• Lions; and it will be long befdre either itimbert can be obtained, or discipline established, to form naval force, which can enter the lists with that alt Britain ; therefore, whilst oer navy maintains i 6 character, there is little to be appethended from tht menaces of France, or the accumulation of an* feet, so heterogeneously combined, or so wretch - ' ly coMposest s as that which she may colleA, t*. possess. But we must not be too elate with 'Success; iIF lulled into supineness from misfortune. Otte banitii have a precarious foundation, in the rough element of the ocean, and we must be prepared I,44ititt hit= ricanes and disasters.—We caimot rest our securht entirely upon our navy. We must have a forts:its ble and efficient army to avert the dangers incident to the times ; and it is beneath the dignity of tlr country to be amused with the phantoms of diem. The French revolution, and the consequenCit attending it,• have totally changed the state or Europe ; and if we have not talents and resole:66A to a'ter our systems, progressively with the agt itt which we live, we mu.t be ultimately undott. When the militia was formed, it was called a COir stitutional Voice. So were the Swiss. . What are they good for now ? What does such epithet mean in these days? It is only an apoa logy for a bad army. The great men *hi command the militia, do not mean to hat, regiments merely for shew or parade s Or to march from Exeter to Bernick. Every man teht uishes well to his country should offer himself fol. the service of the Lid ; and whilst we are contend. ing about raising men,wbether by bounty or pensio% an An of the Legislature might allow regiments of Militia to volunteer for general service, when vr4 should have at once a powerful and disposable fare. The Officers should then have rank in the Asm and the men participate in the advantages given it, their brother soldiers. Some of the Senior Col 6:. nels might be offered the rank of Major-Generais and Colonels appointed to command Battalions ih their place. It were batter to volunteer Whole regix ments complete, than to draft them, and leave skr- Iston battalions. I know that great obstacles would be thrown in the way of such a plan—that penrlt ssnell start at such ideas ; but the difficulties art eadly surmounted. Great exertions are required to support and increase the Army, and it is wiser tii prevent evil, than to wait its arrival. We have recourse to ideas that have little connece tinn with the causes of those misfortunes which se" have hitherto beheld. The seent of military art ange ment has greatly accelerated the ruin of Germany Therefore les us liberate ourselves from the Volunl teer System ; let the Militia be transformed this§ Regular Soldiers ; let us divest ourselves of those prejudices and errors which have proved ruinous m other countries, and let us adopt a more vigorous fin:nation for our Army, and more aslive taaict § we shill then have little to apprehend iSom the envy; the malice, or arrogance of Prance; provides' tee also follow the maxim of the mariner, who, in a great storm, sail this; to Neptune :—" Oi: God ! thou may's; ..tee me if th silt ; and, if tl,ou wilt, :hen :raj's; destroy rne t bet I 7. ill ;we: . tri !:Le .: ~~. An.tgAg I . T] T with co' poi Bla ha 4