The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-12-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAI, PARLIAMENT. . ROUSE OF LoftDA,. Dec. 16. r In the Appeals, " The Fast India Company is. Astrolots and Others, - the Attorney-General was heard for the Respondents, aad sir, trthur Piggott partly In reply.—Further bearing to. mom ow. 'fbe Royal Assent was given by Commiwion to the Sugar, Brewinv Bill, 111111 the Starch Hill. The Co!nonissienen4 were, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Barrow hs and Lord WolNinghans. The 3a..taica and St. 1/tontogo Intercourse Bill was read a Second tin:e ao:1 committed fer to-norrow. Adjourned till to-morrow (this day). before asked Three Millions sand Pounds, and now asked sum. It appeared al if they of those official details whic) know, when they could thus, Army, in the course of a few days, so very differ. eutly. • Lord PALMKRSTOX and the CHANCEL LOR - of the'.EXCHEQUER stated, that it was thought advisstfile to ask 'the additional sum ,11.1 this period, to answer the *nay Extraordinap les. Mr. ABFRCICOMBY made a few remarks of the same tendmicz with those of Mr. Whitbread. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in vindication of Lard Palmerston, said, drat the bills for the extrtordluary services of the army were drawn upon the Treasury, and not upon the War Office. • Mr. WHITBREAD said, the Noble Lord had not succeeded in fixing upon him (Mr. W.) any charge of negligence of his duty as a Member of Parliament, though he was guilty of great negli gence himself, in not consulting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, before he came doe u to the House for the grant voted to him on a former night. An expence of six millions in three months, or of '24 millions a year for the use of the army was enor mous; was satisfied that Ministers have not done their duty on this occasion; and was anxious to know what security they were willing to give the House, that they would not again call upon them for money for those extraordinary services, some day before the recess ? - The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed, that notice was given yesterday of their In tention to ask the House for this additional grant. Mr. CREEVEY apprehended that this demand was made at present, not from any pressing necessity, , but rather for the convenience of the Gentleman op. posite, who wished to have the recess long in order to enjoy the holidays in the country. As no satis factory explanation was given to him on this subject,' he said he would divide the House. The Gallery was then cleared, and on a division, the numbers were 33 for the Grant, and 4 against it.—There were besides four Tellers, making in all 41 Members then in the House. • Various minor sums were then voted for a variety of purposes, on the motion of Mr. WHARTON.— The Report of the Committee to-morrow. The Insolvent Debtors' 13111 was read, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. Copie3 of the Letters sent by the Marquises of Buckingham and Camden to the Ministry, were brought up and ordered to be printed. Adjourned at half past six. your Excellency that I continued sityl llowrewo, but expected to meat with he Duchowschtschina road. I rosier. /Rh the corps of the Viceroy of Italy, .4e, en his retreat from Dorogobusch•te• chowachtschina, attacked it, and, by the pid of Pro.' vidence, divided it into two parts., " cine part withdrew itself upon Duchowschtschina r and the other turned upon Dore** !sex* in the at.' most disorder, and distributed itself in differing places, but to-day they united themselves by defiant roads with that part which had gone upon Duchew. schtschina. " 't'o-day I again attacked the enemy, notwitb. standing the continual rainy weather, and, as law as I tOnnd him, completely defeated him. Ip these two actions the enemy lost a gent nbm ber.of killed, among whom were several Generals, to appears from the insignia and decorations brought to me. The prisoners amount to 3000, among prbich are Chiefs of regiments, Staff, and upper °Seers. " The Cossacks have taken but few prisoners having cut the greater part to pieces. " Sixty-two pieces of cannon have been taken, and probably more, for I have not yet had time to enumerate them accurately. Standards have also been taken, which, on account of haste, have ■ot yet been brought to me. With respect to the killed and wounded on our side, I have no account ; but, thanks be to God, they are not very many. " The regiments are following with me the re. mains of the enemy's defeated corps, which have re. tired in the utmost disorder ; upon Duchowschts4 ; .china. It is to be hOped that It will, with the assist. ante of GOD, he entirely annihilated, and that King Eugene, who, according to the reports of the prisoners, was yesterday with his defeated columns, will not escape being taken prisoner. " On my right side, sear the town of Duchowschts china, Major-General Ilowinskye (12), with his brigade, has also defeated the enemy ; be has taken the Chief of the General Staff of all the Armies, General Sancon, and above 500 privates. " I have sent five regiments, under the command of Major-General Grekows, in pursuit of the ene my along the Smolensk road, and am myself hasten. ing with the rest of the regiments, completely to annihilate the remainder of this corps of the enemy. . 46 I shall conclude my subject by observing, that every thing proceeds excellently, and it is only am. 1 cessary to pursue the enemy." LIST INDIA HOUSE. Yesterday a Court of Proprietors was he'd at th e India Rouse, for the purpose of receivi:i g th e R c. port of the Court of Directors respecting the dill, dend to be paid on the Stock, for the six mo nt h s ending the sth of January, 1813, and other p ee . rat business. The CRAIIIMAN stated, that the Court had come to a Resolution that the dividend should be 54 pe , bat. RENEWAL OF THE CONIPANY's CHARTFR. The CHAIRMAN observed it might perkps beer, pected that the Directors would hare beeil [Aim t „ have laid before the Court some informalioii important subject. He could only declare, b ov . ever, that at present the Direttors were unabl e tr, make specific communication to the Proprietors: he trusted, however, that no very great delay wood take place before they would be able to h v b e f ore them a report of all that had occurred on the. so, ject since the last meeting, a Court would then b e called, and the Directors would be most happy to submit their proceeding, to the consideration of Proprietors, and to receive their instructions upon them. it was quite unnecessary for him to remi n d them that the subject was one of the utmost import. ance, and one which would demand their most se. rious consideration. perfectlyreads by thenrthy satisfi e d byMthre. J communicationlush: hims elf Chairman ; consistent with propriety he could n° , have said more at present. F ro m w h a t he hl at sth ted, to itappeared however, that something in the nature of propositions would shortly be submitted to the consideration of the Proprietors, and whateter might •be the result of the important negociatioa now pe t & ing between the Company and Goverment, it would be a gratifying reflection for the Proprietors, that I their conduct bed on all occasions, in which the trade of India wu the subject, been such es would prove them to have acted invariably as became ititisla Merchants, and that they had, on no occasion, hee l , governed by partial or interested motives. They had, on all occasion, asserted that, which he trusted all , were still disposed to maintain, namely, that the trade of India could not be made an open and general trade, but at the risk of shelsing our Indian Empire to its very foundation. Such had been the opinion' of those eminent Statesmen, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fos, and Lord Melville, who had all agreed, that what. ever political alterations might be adopted as related to India, its trade should al ways be left under a well-regulated monopoly ; and those who were at all acquainted with the Indian Empire, and its pre. sent situation, must see, that to alter the Commer. vial system in that quarter, would be to risk the total ruin of our trade there; and even the present M. ministration had, at the commencement or the nego. elation for the renewal of the Charter, admitted that the trade of the Company must not be clioturhed. Tower& the latter end of last Session, however, they had altered their opinion, and declared their inten tion of allowing a general export to India. This would, no doubt, include a general import also, and thus the whole trade would be laid open. With this threat of rein banging over their heads, it behoved tbo Proprietors, as friends to themselves and .Ihaie eeentry, to come forward with firmness in support of their rights. The public opinion was daily turn, lag In favour of a wellsregulated Monopoly of the tfede to India, and he trusted Ministers would nut persevere in pressing this obnoxious measure; if, however, they should, and thereby obliged the Pro. Motors to apply to Parlliameot, he had no doubt they would Gad Gentlemen there able and willing to support the commercial sights, tte well as tile liberty of the subject. Mr. Alderman ATKINS thought the Proprietors Would not be satisfied at having no communication made to them from the Court of Directors, especially after themeation which had been made of the Com pany's affairs in the Speech from the Throne. he trusted, however, some commuuicatleo would he given previous to the meeting of Parliament after the recess. Mr. S. Amex, ewressed his goarstimee in the Court of Directors doing every thing proper ee the subject. ' The CHAIRWAN Sinned the Ifon. Alderman the earliest moment would be seised for calling a Court, and communicating to them what had been done. i After some farther observations foam Mr. Alder. man ATKINS and Mr. JACKSON, the subject was drop ' ped, and the Court adjourned sine die. : . . Pe A ters ensgi bt; i rg i 17 ) , Iii i iiii ntit ha led s recently o be f e t n he pu lt i t i sssiheand a t E St is: ' baggy to China, in 1805. It is said that the sole object of this Embassy was to re - establis h core rmerchtlyelatlons between the two Empires. Count GOLOFEIN, on his arrival with his suite, VI as received 1 with much respect, and invited by the Mandarin, Governor of the frontier province, and brother in-law of the Chinese Monarch, to a banquet; but on his entrance into the Hall where the en tertainment was prepared, he and his suite were required, according to custom, to prostrate them selves with their faces on the ground before t h e throne. The Count peremptoaily refused, declaring, at the same time, that he would not object to comply with this ceremony before theperson of the Emperor. After two hours spent in altercation, the Count de. parted without having partaken of the banquet. — Neat day, the Mandarin proposed, as a conciliatory measure, that the Count should send one of the Gen tlemen of the 'Embassy- to Pekin, with a letter, in which he should excuse himself for having failed in the ceremonial, by stating that he had sent to demand nen [ nstructions from his Sovereign : this, the friendly andarin obsersed, would occ asion delay, 114 *ford him time to make his pe a c e. The letter was !ten transmitted to the Emperor , with the was forms. The Count was not, however, permitted to proceed on his journey. In February, 1806, al official answer was received fr om Pekin, parPettil Wit cc as the Russian Embassy w as composed °, madmen, nothing . ore was left than t o break wi t h them, and to give them safe conduct to Russia." - 1 At the same time it Was signified to the Cou nt, that the subsistence of his'suite was limited to eleven (IW. The Count having no other alteroative, took his de -1 greatly Partarati. o 7 ehagriced at this ear l y tormialtn laglao - PA"" THE 51:441' . _ s Four littni 'theta- itiyaltiformed ;Iced for thiclidiiitional ankh - upon %al were altogeth'edgftersit tite enemy ou th ch they were Woad to day came up wi 'estimate the wants of the Eugeue, on his ' 110CiE OF COMMONS. Sir EDW. KN ATCII BULL presented a Petition, signed by alma.. 7000 inhabitants of the county of Kent, for leave To bring In a Bill for building a new Prison and Bridewell.—lteferred • to a Commit:, CASE OF CAPTAIN INGUS. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, he held in his hands a Petition from Capt. Inglis, who was to have gone out to snrvey Port Jackson. While his vessel Was in the river, some of his crew, alt of whom had protections, were attacked by a press-gang. They sea': red this press-gang, and heat them off, but he himself, took no part in the resistance. A complaint was lodged at the Thames Police-Otfice, to which he was brought. His treatrtent there was shocking and shameful. lle was confined from four in the after noon till eight in the evening, in a place which it was scarcely decent to mention ; and when he came from this place—a common privy—he was so over 'come with the stench, that he was ready to faint.— He was conveyed to Clerken well Prison, and obliged to share a bed with one of the felons in irons. His affairs were much injured, if not ruined, by being detained till his trial should come on in March next. This Gentleman was well known, during a long life, as possessed of a most respectable character. He was well related, and had served first as a Midship man in the King's service, and afterwards in a high situation in a vessel belonging to the East India Com pany ; and whsle he was in the Company's service, he had received a considerable reward from Lord Minto, for having saved the lives of several persons wrecked on an unknown rock in the Bay of Bengal. Be had references for character to Admiral Ilunter, Lord E.skine, and the Hon. Henry Erskine, and several other respectable individuals. Ite hope d that the Admiralty would of themselves take this case into consideration, and prevent the necessity of its com ing before the :louse. On the suggestion of the SPEAKER, the Peti tion wa► withdranii, for the purpose of endeavour ing to state the circumstances of the case with greater brevity. Mr. SOUTHFIELD presented a Report from the Board of Education in Ireland, which was ordered to be printed. LITERARY PROPERTY. Mr. DAVIES GIDDY presented a Petition from the Booksellers and Publishers of Books in London and Westminster, praying for a revisal of the laws respecting Copyrights and Entries of Books at Ste. tioners'-llall, and complaining of the great hardships of being obliged to deliver eleven Copies of expos. ; sive works, of which a few Copies only could be printed, to the different Universities.—Petition or. dered to lie on the table. Mr. ABEitCRONIBY moved for an account of the Causes !ward before the Courts of Chancery and the Rolls, from 15th April last to the latest period ; and au account of the Causes which yet remained un belt i d.—O rdered. AMERICA. • • • • ...04.• •-•••• • 1.114" _ Mr. WlllTBREAtlsiisbidto ask a question re specting America, in consequence of the Speech of the President of the United States, which he had that morning read in the Newspapers; but he should wish first to know whether there was a probability that the Noble Lord (Castlereash) would soon be able to attend in his place ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER be lieved the Noble Lord would be able to attend on Friday, if not to-morrow. Lord Wellington's Estate Bill was read a third time, and passed. ADJOURNMENT. In a conversation between Mr. Whitbread and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the latter stated that the Adjournment of the House for the Holidays could nut take place sooner than Tuesday or Wed nesday. The Exchequer Bills' Bill was read a third time and passed. In answer to a question from Mr. Whitbread, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEWER stated, that the amount of the Outstanding Exchequer Bills, 11 1 !- provided for, would probably amount, in the month of A ;)ril next, to t 3 millions, and the total amount of EXcitever Bills to -it millions. _ . . /*lr. CR:EEVEY wished to know if any objection, would be made to a motion, which be meant to mare to-morrow, for an account of We produce of the' Consolidated Fund and War Taxes, down to the last quarter. He wished also, if possible, to have se parate Returns of the Property Tax, derivable from Land and from Trade. The CUANCEI 4 OII, of the EXCHEQUER had no objeciion to the Accounts wanted. It would be impossible, however, to comply with tbo wisbee of the Honourable &ottoman respecting the Property Tax. The Malt and Penpiou Doty Bill was read a third time and passed. • The Chocolate Bill vu read a third time and passed. The Spanish .H.ed Wine Hill alas read third time and passed. The Rica Duty Hill vap read a third time and passed. The Post Offici Franking Bill was read a third time and passed. The Distillery Prohibition Bill was read a third time and passed. The Malting Bill was read a third time and passed. Ths West India indemnity Bill wap read a third time god passed. Ilia third reading of the Household pill was posts paned till tp-morrow (this . day). The House haying i v:meld ° a c omm itt ee of Supply, lord PAAMEHSTOII!I mowed for an additional s l n• of Twp Millions Seven Hundred Ilft;tir49d ro9vidg l tor the Service of the *rasp This gave rise-to some disculsioo, i 9 which Me. WHITBREAD and Mr. CREEVBY accuse's' the ktiP*7 0 POilifita, kaill 40.1 a hlw flays *.• i t o ': . ',.c ) i' . r, {.. t ' ,4 •'' . f • I , f r, i 1 't I ; 1 i 11, • 1 1 1 ..'*. .... c. 11 11 ' • Ar. 4.. , , .. ~ .4 • ~',; .. • , 4‘. ( , 1 . , I ) ' , v, I,l' , . :, ! l• +.,, f.. 1 . 1 .. ~, . . , ; 4i ' ' l t • . i t . , i GOTTENBURGH MAIL. RUSSIAN BULLETINS. Peter3burgh, Nov. 17. GENERAL COUNT WITTGENSTEIN REPORTS, UNDER D ITE OF THE 9111 INSTANT, 44 That Major-Gen. Harpe, who was ordered to both banks of the river Dwina, to take possession of Witepsk, entered that place, on the morning of the 7th, at seven o'clock, after having had a severe engagement with the enemy. Two of the enemy's cannon were planted on a hill, for the defence of the bridge, which, however, was set on fire by them im mediately on the arrival of our van-guard, but a num ber of volunteers threw themselves upon the bridge, and extinguished the fire; in. which performance the Jews were particularly active. After this the ene my were driven out of the town. Ile was pur sued twenty wersts on the road to Smolensk; he then shaped his course to Leowna. In this action were taken prisoners General Ponge, Governor of Witepsk ; the Commandant Colonel Chevorden, ten Officers, seven gens-d'armes, and three huudved men; two pieces of artillery, with the horses and powder chests, were taken, as was also th. , large magazines of provisioos, forage, and gunpowder, deposited in the town. The loss of the enemy was great ; that on our side does net exceed twenty-five men. Our troops, on entering the town, were received with acclamations of joy. All the Russian public oificeni, who were in the enemy's service, are arrested, ex ' cepting the Princes Sapega and Radzivel, who had departed long before. The chief French army, ac cording to information received, retired to Smo lensk where several columns had already entered." Count Wittgenstein, in another dispatch, dated the 11th of November, from Ischaseltneke, states, " That after the taking of Witepsk, there was found in the magazines at that plate, 750 tschltwerts oats, 40 ditto barley, 400 puds of hay, and six casks of brandy." • SUPPLEMENT TO THE ST. PETERSRUUGII GA. ZETTE, (W NOV. 17, MY. DISPATCH FROM GEN. FIELD-MARSHAL PRINCE GOLE- If/PCII/TSCHEW SUTeIiOW TO warn suesais.l.-144.• JISTY, DATED FROM THE TOWN OF JURA, NOV. 9, " Great is God !—Most gracious Lord, I have again to congratulate your Majesty upon a victory. I have this moment received a Report, of which t transmit the original. The complete defeat of the 4th French corps, under the command of the Vice.? roy of . Italy; 300 Q prisoners, a great number of killed, 62 pieces of cannon, with all the carriages, horses, ar.d cartridges belonging to them, are the re• suits of this victory. The Cossacks do wonders ; they not only cut up the columns of infantry, but sod denly attack the artillery. It is to he ‘ hoped that the ;mall remains of this corps wilt be annihilated before it reaches Duchowschtechina. For some days all the French who have been brought in prisoners have earnestly entreated to be permitted to enter in? to the Russian service. Yesterday fifteen Of f icers of the Italian guard came in with the same request, de claring that they thought there could be no greater honour than to wear the Russian uniferns:* REPORT FRQM THE GENERAy. OF CAVALRY COUNT PLSTOW, TO GEN. rIELR-11.1.1(silAL PRINCE KU TUSOW, DATED FROM THE VILI.AOE IfONICOROWO, NO v. 8. " I have the happiness to congratulate your Ex cellency on a si7s4l victory over the enemy. After I had sent off my dispatch of yesterday to yoor Ex cellency, I pursued ity march according to your directions, on the right side of the greatiSmalenph road, that leads from I),,rogobusch to Smolensix t to come io frost of the o neasy's columns and prevent them from fore4inc and settip fire to thelitlere• ...••• • arta [PROM THE CORRISPONDENT ) DSC. 1.) A general sensation of admiration has, for a long time past, proclaimed the resemblance existing be tween the epoch& of Charles the Great and that in which we live. Both are remarkable by the founda tion of a great Empire—an event which doubtless has not foqud place without the concurrence of a Suprem* • n 'Providence--an event which, according to the Divine Decrees, must have more or less influence on the fate of the human species, and on the destiny of ages to come; but great political enterprises must always affect public and private interest; they render war and battles necessary. The quicker these events are performed, the fewer sacrifices are required. Its this point of view, the century in which we live 'Arts ' even that of Charles the Great. The founder 01 the second dynasty employed thirty-two years in cout bating the Saxons, who were neighbours of his Ea• pire, and who could only oppose to him a force much less than his own. The founder of the fourth ' dynasty, uniting the power of wisdom end enders. tion with that of arms, has known how, by fear grand battles, to bring all the States of Germany to terms of peace ; States that were twelve or fifteen times more considerable than the country of the Simons was, and which could oppose equally numerous, and equally well disciplined armies as those brought against them. If at thisday the founder of the fourth dynasty, after having united the finest and most civilized part of Europe under his federative system, after having • erected under his ensigns nations four times more populous thpn those which Charles the Great com manded, finds himself under the necessity of carrying on the war into a semi-barbarous country, and at an immense distance from his capital, we shall still find a striking and instructive parallel in the history of the Monarchs pf the Franks ; it is the expedition against the Hunaaud Avares, a barbarous nation. , which issued fsem Russia, and established themselves in Pannonia. The Avares having pro voked Charles the Great, by causing defections I among his allies, this conqueror penetrated into the midst of their uncultivated country. It was in vain ; j they adopted the method of fighting as they fled, and of destroying their own possessions. The con queror pursued them, and made himself master of /her tinges, width was a kind of standing and for , I tifled camp, and which, perhaps, was nearly similar to many of the Russian towns. After that Charley the Great had carried off an immense booty, he re- 1 tura back, leaving the Emperor of the Hugs and Avares in such debility, that within a few years after wards the Moraviaus and Pazenikites were able to ' destroy it, and than its ruins between them. The Russian Empire is, undoubtedly, much stronger than that of the Hans and Mares, and yet the expedition t• Moscow has shaken that dreaded Colossus to its foundation. A second expedition may bring its • total downfsl,or at least lower it so much as to ren der it of little dread to its neighbours. Let us not i fear haying such an obstinate war as that with the Saxons. We have not here to deal with a free I people, it is with slaves, headed by their masters. Three months hive been sufficient to dissipate the visionary grandeur with which Russia was surrounded. If she is determined upon coistieui . .; a disadvantage. ons combat, history will, no doubt, record that it took Napoleon fewer months to bring the greatest Emperor t o his feet, than it did Charles the Great years to subdue one prince of Germany. An Order has b'ep issued from the War-al4ce, abolishing the former practice of transferring tin payment of the PenOons of the IVidows of Officers, from greet Britain to Ireland, and rice versa, upntr the removal if regitaepts front one estaiii . qhment to the other ' • and directing That in Attars, every widow shall receive payment or her pension its the amain ip 100 she rfto4,s. • 4 - _ I l •n f 4 , 1