The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-01-21 00:00:00

1' r [ , • . )i ;1(i s.', ' st . .:. ' ... ' I. c S i t. : .. , . Y'• I ; . . , 1 . l , ) I $ , • I 1 1 / 1 i i Y. i i . 1 1 • 1 I F I ~ 1 1 '•. • ' I , • . • • r , • • , • • • • . .11 . 4 ' • . . i e‘ : .4 .• . , . 4 . . , 4.• 1 1 . 1 I ' 1 • i y Fir , THE STATESkIANI number of expellees which had previously exceeded the estimate. This was a sort of justification for the expenditure of the )ear following the estimate, and accordingly it would be found that year greatly ex ceeded the subsequent year. The salaries of Foreign Ministers had been diminished from the number of, missions to which au end had been put; but the est traordivary circumstances attending several of theie missions of late years, would sufficiently justifiv trusted, an inquiry into the additional exgence on that account. -- . - After some conversation between the Chancillor of thb Excheqier and Mr. Tierney, the papers moved fikr tithe latter were ordered, and the second reading ortheiclill was fixed fo r Thursday. the Elf was 'also ordered to be printed. ' COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY: The House, on the motion of the CHANCEtLOR Of the Exceseusa, resolved itself into a Cotnniittee of Supply, Mr. LUSHINGTON in the Chair. All the Accounts presented by Mr. WHARTON on Saturday, Including the War Taxes, Were referred to it, and The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved, that a sum not exceeding 100,0001 be granted to the Prince Regent, for defraying the ex peaces attendant on his assumption of the Royal-Au thority.- Mr. TIERNEY said, that although be felt it per. sonally unpleasant to make any remark on the pre sent grant, yet the broad duty which he owed`to the public was imperious, and he would discharge it. — The Prince Regent had now executed the functiOns of Regent for twelve months, and when *ll the OR. penees attendant on the assumption of that office had been over, the Minister comes forward wits his at for the Regency. Every man must feel that the Prince Regent had been at great expences for the purpose alluded to ; and it was, he Wits confident, in the recollection of every one, that the Prince had, with tha' delicacy which was one of thecharacteristics of his mind, and with a proper feeling for the bur thened state of the people, refused to accept a sum of money fast year. How, therefore, could the Mi nister now ask the House to vote this outfit; parti cularly when he mentioned no distinct appropriation of it,—when he rather stated it as a boon or grant which had' no precedent in our history ?—No such outfit was ever voted by the Parliament of England on the assumption of the Monarchy ; and although he Wag most heartily disposed to vote any sum which, would he appropriated to the meeting of the expences which the Prince Regent had already been at, yet he was anxious to guard against the recognition of such a principle as that it was always necessary to vote a certain sum of money for the natural assumption of the Royal Authority. He hoped, that it was not the Right Hon. Gentleman's intention to consider a King or Regent of England in the light of an Am bassador, whom it was necessary to equip out in a particular way. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was quite convinced, that the Right Hon. Gentleman's op posit ion entirely arose from the inaccuracy with which the Motion was worded. The 100,0001. were to be applied most certainly in the very way wished for by the Right Hon. Gentleman. It was intended that this sum should cover the expences attendant on the assumpton of the Regency, as well retrospectively as prospectively; and he had no objection ' if it would satisfy the itight Hon. Gentleman, to introduce those words into his Motion. Mr. TIERNEY thought that the Parliamentary way of proceeding in this business, should have been foilhe Minister to advise his Royal Highness to send a message to Parliament, praying that Parliament in its liberality would grant him such a sum as would have been adequate to the liquidation of the expences he had incurred. Then the propernutry of it would have been made on the Journals, and there would have been no danger to be dreaded in future from thh establishment of a bad precedent. The words retro spedively and prospectively Mr. Tierney did not think the exact words which should be introduced to amend the motion ; and he therefore thought it better for the Right Hon. Gentleman to put off his motion to Wednesday, when he could bring it forwarl in a more correct shape. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then altered his motion in the following manner:— " That the sum of 100,0001. be granted to the Prince Regent, to defray the expences which have been or may be attendant en the assumption of the Royal Authority ;" and the question was put by Mr. Lush ington. Mr. WHITBREAD could not allow this question to pass without some observations. towever invidi ous it was to oppose such a grant for '4Riiyal High ness, under the present circumstances, still, he felt it his duty, as a Member of Parliament, to oppose the vote until such a.message should be sent down to the House as was usual in such cases. The coun try had last year given credit to his Royal Highness for the communication which he had caused to be made to the liouse, of his intention of not laying any ad ditional burthenitbn the country, for the expence he should be put to in assuming the Regency. ' For this communication Ms Royal Highness had most deserv edly obtained great credit ; but having so received it, he thought that it appeared somewhat extraordinary, that a sum of 100,0001. should be delnanded by the Minister for the expences which had been already in curred, as well as those that would be necessary now. Ile wished to know in what manner this sum was to be divided, between expellees past and to come. Ile wished to know what were the additional sums which had been expended, or whether there had hen any increase of visible splendour about his Royal Highness since he assumed the Regency. Ile did not mean to say, however, that the sum was tco much to grant; nor had he any means of know ing whether it was sufficient. Ile thought, however, that it was necessary that thFr House should be in formed in the regular parliamentary way by a mes sage, and not by the mere assertion of a Minister, what sum of money was required, and for what purposes. Mr. WHI'I'BREAD said, that he had not been convinced by any thing.he had heard, of the impro priety of communicating information to the House upon this subject, in the usual mode of a Message. The communication of which he had spoken, had been made by his llonourable and Learned Friend (Mr. Adam), who, at that time holding a high office under his Royal highness as Prince of 'Wales, was the proper person to communicate his sentiments to the House. The case was, however, now altered; and it was through their Ministers alone, that Sove reigns, or those exercising Sovereign authority, could regularly make communications to Parliament. He did not mean to say, that 100,0001. was too large a sum to grant for the purpose which was stated, but he thought that the nouse ought to be put in posses sion of the customary information before such a grant was made.—lle, therefore, could, not consent to vote for the Resolution. Mr. TIERNEY said, that it was quite unusual for the House to vote such sums of money without some documents or regular statements being made to them of the necessity of such a vote. If they were called upon, for example, to vot9 20001. a year to such a man as Lord Nelson, however well known his me rits or services might be, the Rouse expected a formal communication from the . Sovereign, and were not content with the mere assertion of the Minister. He did not conceive that there was the slightest objection on the ground of delicacy to his Royal highness sending down a message stating the sum which was wanted, and the purposes for which it was wanted. If that were done, there could not be the least doubt but that Parliament, in its liberality, would cheer- fully grant it. Although he was convinced that the message would have been the best mode, yet he should vote for the proposition of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as he had promised him. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re plied, that if any Gentleman thought himself bound by his promise to vote for one proposition, when his opinion inclined to a contrary one, it would not be acting with equal honour and liberality to that Mem ber, to hold him to such a promise. Although his Honourable and Learned Friend (Mr. Adam), who was still Chancellor of his Royal Highness . as Prince of Wales, was not now the regular person to deliver messages to the House from the Prince Regent; yet there was nothing to preclude him from mentioning in his Speech the circumstances which he knew to exist at the time when he made the communication. His Royal Highness, however, had directed the attention of the House to all those considerations, when in his Speech to Parliament, at the opening of the Session, he said, that " he was satisfied that they would adopt all such measures as appeared to them necessary under the present melancholy circumstances." Having thus slightly touched on what related more immediately to himself; he had then proceeded in the language of an affectionate son, warmly and with reserve, to call their attention to the providing of all that was M. - Mr. Secretary RYDER thought that the Honour able Gentleman seemed to have forgotten that the circumstances were very different under which that communication was made. At that time there pre vailed a general expectation of his Majesty being likely soon to resume his functions, and, therefore, his Royal Highness did not then think it necessary to call for any additional sum to meet the expences of a Regency ) which it was hoped would not have a- . . lasted more than a few months. For this resolution emery for the comfort and dignity of the King his he was well entitled to all the credit which he had re-1 father. It appeared to him, that the Speech of his cei‘t d from the country • but when his, Majesty's ill- Royal Highness was a su ffi cient document for the ne , s liar'. contrary to a ll expectation, continued, for house to proceed upon. There was no person who nearly a n ear since the period of that communication, , thought the sum proposed an exorbitant one; and , his Ro) al Highness was necessarily - . obliged to local the objection appeared to be merely in point of form, r g Att additional expences. The vote, therefore, , and not of substance. lie thought that the House Which was now proposed, was founded on a state of could not grant the money in any manner more pro. things which wos totally different from that which ex- per or delicate, than by agreeing to the resolution. isted when the communication was made. As The q uestion was then p ut, and the resolutions ....te.-44ve manner in which - the object was to - be were agreed to. -- I effected, he thought that it would be much more 1 The various sums voted in a Committee of Supply delicate for Parliament to take up the subject them- . for miscellaueous services, were agreed to. selves than to require .9,f his Royal Highness 1 The House then resolved itself into a Committee of to send down a formal message upon the subject.— F Ways and Means, when the Annual Grants on Malt, He thought, that it was sufficient foundation to pro- Pensions, &c. were agreed to. eeed upon, when the necessity of such a vote was The Distillery Bill was read a second time, and stated to the lionise by those who were the best ac- committed for to-morrow (this day). quainted with the facts. It must be obvious to every Adjourned. one, that a considerable additional expence must ne cessarily have been contracted by his Royal "High ness, in consequence of assuming the Regency. Mr. ADAM said, that at the time when the Prince Regent sent doWn to the House that communication which had been mentioned, his Royal Highness had conceived, that it was likely that his Majesty would have recovered in a short time. In this respect, his expectations and his hopes had been disappointed; and the circumstances were, of course, materially al tered. The principle of his Royal Highness re mained the same : it was the circumstances only which had changed. If his Royal Highness were again placed in the former circumstances, expecting but a Regency of a few months, he would again say, that for so short a period, he thought no additional grant necessary ; but under tke present circumstan ces, it was most obvious that he must have incurred great additional expences, for which the House could not refuse to provide. Ile therefore approved of the motion, as it was now worded. There was another view in which he could not avoid considering the subject. If, instead of succeed. ing to the discharge of the Royal Functions as Re gent, his Royal Highness had succeeded" to the Throne, as on the demise of the Crown, then he would be entitled to other funds which would enter materially into the consideration of the allowances to be made him. He would in that case have to deal with the hereditary revenues of the Crown, for which a sort of bargain had been made in the com mencement of the present reign. Succeeding, how ever, to the regency, and not to the throne, his Royal Highness had no such funds at his command, to be taken into consideration in the arrangements to he made. His Royal Highness was rather (if such a term might be applied to a personage of such dig nity), in the light of a stipendiary, receiving a cer tain axed sum for the discharge of a certain duty. Under those circumstances, he thought it more be coming the liberality of parliament, to come for ward of themselves, and grant the sum which had been noshed, and which, he believed, that no persdu could think excessive. lie knew of no strict Parlia mentary rules which prevented them from determining the question without a formal message ; and he con ceived, that it would be much the more delicate way to vote it in the manner which had been proposed. Mr. HURST thought it most obvious, that'his Royal Highness must, ex necessitate rei, have in curred great additional expence by taking upon him self the Regency, and therefore it could hardly be called bounty or liberality in Parliament to repay him those expences. It was a strict debt of justice, and not a boon. Arr. Mails. Due. Dublin Waterford 1 Cadiz Lisbon Malta Guernsey 1 0 inuct: OF STOCKS THIS t AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank 3 per Cent. Cons. 62H 3 per Cent. Ited. 63k 4 per Cents. 78i 79 5 per Cent. Navy 94.il Long. Ana. 16 5-161 India Bonds 17s. 113 s. pr. Exchequer Bills 3d. 3 5 pr. Ditto * dis. Consols for Acct. 64* Lotto, Tickets THE STATESMAN. LONDON: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1812. REPORTED DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH , BY LORD WELLINGTON. Gentleman, who came passenger in the Gcnrral Porlier, which arrived at Dover yesterday from Co runta, states, that a report was very current at the latter place, of a battle having been fought, a few days prior to his sailing, between the Allied Army and the French, in which the former had been very successful. The gentleman, however, gives no date on which the engagement is said to have been fought; nor did he hear the name of the place mentioned. We yesterday announced the arrival of dispatches from Governor Marro and Lieutenant-General AUCUMUTY, containing the particulars of the final retiuction of Java, and the capitulation of the ene my's troops. The details of this important occur rence were brought by Captain Harms, of his MA• awry's ship Sir Francis Drake, and were given to the Publie this forenoon in AN EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE. The following is the letter of Sir SAMUEL Aucastuvr, which was addressed to Lord LIVERPOOL On hoard his Majesty's Ship Mpdeste, off Samaran, Me LORD, .pt. 21, 1811. I have jhe honour to submit to your Lord hip, continuation of the rep ort which it is my duty to lay before yon, of the proceedings of the army under my command. Immediately on receiving the intelligence of Gen. Jansens retreat from Bugtenzorg, by an eastern route, and the occupation of that post by our troops, I placed a force, consisting of the 3d battalion of Bengal volunteers, and a detachment of artillery with two guns, under the order of Col. Wood, and directed his embarkation, in communication with Rear-Admiral Stopford, who ordered three frigates on this service, for the purpose of occupying the fort of Cheribon. Transports were at the same time put in a state of pre paration for a force, consistine , of the detachment of the Royal, and a company of Bengal artillery, a troop of his Majesty's 224 dragoons, his Majesty's 14th and 78th regiments of foot, the 4th battalion of Bengal volunteer Sepoys, the Madras pioneers, and a small ordnance equipment, with which it was my intention to embark, and accompanying Rear-Ad miral Stopford with the squadron, for the attack of Sourabaya and Fort Louig, towards which place it was supposed the enemy had retired. A large part of his Majesty's 14th regiment, the Royal Artillery, and six Geld-pieces, were, by the kindness of Rear-Admiral Stopford, received on board his Majesty's ships of war, and they, with the transports, sailed as they could be got ready for sea, with orders to rendezvous off the point of Sidayo, near the western entrance of the harbour of l Sourabaya. I embarked on the 4th of September, and early in the morning on the sth, sailed to join the troops in his Majesty's ship Modeste, which the Admiral, inattention to my convenience, hall allot ted for my accommodation. On the 6th of Sept. when on the point of Inder mayo, I learned from an express boat, which had been boarded by Commodore Broughton, that Che ribon was in poss e ssion of the frigates detached on that service, having separated from the transport on hoard of which all their troops but the Commodore had embarked. Capt. Beaver, the senior Officer of the squadron, had landed the seamen and marines, and occupied the fort, which surrendered to his sum mons in time to make a prisoner of Brigadier Ja melle, while passing on his route from Bugtenzorg,l with many other officers and troops. Letters inter- cepted on this occasion from General Jansens, an nounced his intention to collect his remaining force near Samamng, and to retire on Solo. This intel ligence determined me to sail for Cheribon, where arrived on the evening of the 7th of Sept. and find ing that no troops had yet arrived, that a detachment, of seamen and marines had marched inland on the Bug tenzorg-road, and been successful in securing great numbers of the fugitives from thence, and gaining possession, on terms of capitulation, of the post of CarongSambong on that route; I sent immediate or ders for the march of .reinforcements from the dis ltrict of Batavia. The cavalry, half of the horse ar tillery, and the detachment 'of his Majesty's 89th regiment from Bugtenzorg, were desired to join me at Semarang, by the route of Cheribon, and the light infantry volunteer battalion was ordered to em bark at Batavia for the same place. I obtained from Captain Beaver, of his Majesty's ship Nisus, the divatch of vessels in every direction, to meet the straggling transports on their route t o Sourabaya, and direct them all to rendezvous at Se„ marang, addressing a letter to the Hon Admiral Stopford, to Commodore Broughton, and all th e Captains of his Majesty's ships, requesting them t o give similar orders. I sailed the same evening in the Modeste, and, after meeting the NYindliam trans. port, and ordering her with the 3d volunteer batta. lion to Cheribon, directed my course to tiainara vg I arrived there on the 9th, and was shortly after wards joined by Rear-Admiral Stopford, the co,. modore, and a few transports, having on board& pa r t of his Majesty's 14th regiment, half the 78th, the a,. tillers , detachments, six field-pieces, and the detach. meat of pioneers. _ To ascertain the fact of General T.►nsens' p re . sence and feel how far the capture of General j‘,.. melle and the troops from Bugtenzorg, might hity” changed his plan, .1 repeated to him on the Knit, in concert with the Admiral, an invitation to sur render the island on terms r-f capitulation, and Cap. tain Elliott and Colonel Agnew were charged wi►h the communication. They saw the General, re. coived his reply, ascertained that he had still with him at least a numerous sta►f, and that he professed a determination to persevere in the contest. The small force with me did not admit of my attempting to assault the place, while it was supposed to be thus occupied; but an attack was made that nigh! by the boats of the squadron, on several gnu-re. sets of tho enemy moored across the entrance of the rivers leading to the town end : the precipitation with which they were abandoned gave a character of probability to accounts, which reached us from fishermen and others, that the General was oi•cupied in withdrawing his troops to the interior; and had fortified a position at a short distance on the road towards Solo or Soercarta, the residence of the En►. peror of Java. - On the 12th of September, as no other troops had arrived, it was determined to attack the town; a summons was first sent to the Commandant, and it appeased, that the enemy had (as at Batavia) cva. cuated the place, leaving it to be surrendered by the Commander of the Burghers. It was that nigla occupied by a detachment under Col. Gibbs, and all the troops I could collect were landed on the follow. ing day. It was ascertained that the enemy had retired to a strong position about six miles distance on the Solo read, carrying with him all the Chief, Civil as well as Military, Officers of the district, and cast he was busied in completing batteries and intrenclunnti in a pass of the hills, where he had collected the re. sidue of his regular troops, some cannon, and a force, including the auxiliary troops of the native Princes, exceeding eight hundred men, cavalry, in. fantry, and artillery, commanded by many Et ropean officers of rank. As any check of the attempts of our troops at this important period might have been productive of the worst elects, I thought it prudent to wait the hourly expected arrival of a larger force, but after two days passing at Semarang without their appear ance, I resolved to risk an attack with the slender means at my disposal, rather than to give the enemy confidence by a longer delay, or afford them time to complete their works, which wore said to be sail imperfect. For these reasons, on the evening of the 14th, I had directed preparations to be made for an attack on the following day, when intelligence arrived that the Windham had sailed for Cheribon with some troops, and several vessels were seen in the offing ; I, therefore, countermanded the orders, in the ex pectatiou of succours, but the Admiral, anxious, oil account of the approaching unfavourable season, to secure a safe anchorage for the ships, sailed in the morning, with two ships of the line and three frigates, to attack Fort Louis, and if successful, to occupy the harbour of Sourabaya. The Windham alone arrived in the course of the night, and even the very slender reinforcement which she brought was, situated as we were, of great im portance, and it enabled me to withdraw all the European garrison from the Fort of Semarang, and to add a company of Sepoys to the field force, which thus strengthened did not exceed one thousand one hundred infantry, and the necessary artillery to matt four six pounders, with some pioneers. I did not think it proper to assume the direct corn mend of so small a detachment; I confided it to Col. Gibbs, of his Majesty's 59th regiment, proceeding, however, with the troops, that I might be at !laud to profit by any fortunate result of the attack. Experience had waeranted my reposing the fullest confidence in the valour and discipline of the troops I had the good fortune to command, and taught me to appreciate those which the enemy could oppose to them. Many of the fugitives from Cornelius were in their ranks, and the rest of their forces were strongly impressed, by their exaggerated accounts, with the dangers to be dreaded from the impetuosity of oer troors. I did not, therefore, feel apprehension of any unfortunate result from attacking the enemy vith numbers so very disproportionate ; but from our tc tal want of cavalry, I did not expect to derive from it any very decisive advantage, beyond that of driving them from the position they had chosen. The small party of cavalry, of which I had been disappointed by the absence of the transports which conveyed them, would have been invaluable; much of the enemy's force was mounted, and they had some horse artillery, while not even the horses of my sttitf were arrived, and our artillery and ammunition %ere to be moved by hand by the Lascars and pioneers, who for this purpose were attached to the field-Fle..' 4 . Colonel Gibbs marched at two o'clock on the morning of the 16th from Semarang, and after ascending some -steep hills, at the distance of near six miles, the tires of the enemy appeared a little be fore he dawn of day extending along the summit of a hill, which crossed our front at Jattee Allee, and lover part of which the road was cut ; the doubtful light, and great height of the hill they occupied, made the position appear at first most formidable. It `was resolved to attack it immediately, and as the leading division or advance of the detachments moved forward to turn the enemy's left, a fire was opened on them from many guns placed on the summit of the hill, and various positions on its Picts, which com pletely commanded the road ; these were answored by our field-pieces as they came up, with the effect,