The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-07-01 00:00:00

, s.r9 r attily, One praying for public aid in widening as.d improving the Port of London. All these Petitions were severally ordered to be referred to Committees, to examine the matters thereof, and to report their opinions to the House. Mr. BASTARD brought up a Bill for the far ther Regulation of Parish Apprentices. Read a first time ; and on the Motion for the second read iu Mr. CURWEN took occasion to notice a cir cumstance, which had lately occurred to him in tra velling through Yorkshire. He had seen no less than 60 poor children crammed into a waggon, in the most disgraceful manner, going to some employ ment in our manufaaories. As it was the duty of the Legislature to encourage our commerce and nsanufatures as much as possible, he hoped that some means would be adopted to oblige the masters into whose service these eliildi en were sent, to sup ply their wants, and attend to their proper matiage ment, in the same manner as could be done by their parents. Toe Bill was then ordered to be read a second time, and to be printed. Mr. Foster brought up a Bill for continuing cer tain Rates and Duties, and allowing certain Draw backs and Bounties, upon Goods imported and ex ported to and from hula:ad.—Read a first, and or dered to be read a second rim- toenorrow. The MASTER of the ROLLS gave notice, that he would to morrow isinVe for leave to bring in a Bill to enable His Majesty to grant a lease of the lands of Frozmore to Her Majesty for of) years. F.:::EIGN AND BRITtsII SHIPPiNt.:. Mr. EDF.N rose, in purooioce of his notice, to make a motion relative to this subj.ra. 'lbis he prefaced by a speech of coosid.srabie length, stating the °Ned he had in view to be to show the post pvity and increase of our navigation, while the country was under the management of the late Ad ministration. lie was aware that he might appear to same to be entering rather late into this investi gation ; hut he could inform them that it was his intention to have done i: daring last Sc.sion, but the (Jaws-tiled dissolution of Pal liament prereuted hitri. The insinuations which had been thrown out against the lute Administration, upon this bead, Wle perfedly Absurd, and without foundation. lie trusted that when tit account he was now wishing was laid before the House, he should prove them to be tueelly free from imputotom. On great cause to which the decline of British navigation was ascribed, was the passing of the Bill called the American In.ercoorse Bill, winch had been represented as a wanton iroauvation ; and yet, by the answer given, last Wgtit, by the Treasurer of the Navy, i.e learned that Alinisters hal no intention of repealing it, although they had alleged that it went to do for cur enemies what tloy could not do for thenisolves, and to re. !Oen to other rations our naval superiority. Tile If ore had been told that ex whole condul of the Lte Ain:str v was a series of cwices,ions to neutrals, and that they were weak enough to commence tro'ciatian diming the eOsttioce of the Nonomportt tion rift. He adverted toe treaty conelu led with Russia in IS.il,and to the Speech et the Cliancelior ct the Es:hiquer, relative to the production of an Order at Coancil, passed in conscoucace st the Freoc:s Decree as to neutrals; and although he :bought tho ca on:ry had reason to rejoice having eseaped from tae plans stotge.otid by that Right 11)0. Gentleniun, ye: it had n LI congra tulate him upr•ts Iris consistency of con Jul, he having shzvi'n, by his act purtu;ng now his former riggissrions, the manifest injustice of his former coetol tints. Toe Hoti. Gentleman concluded with movi ig, •• *I hat there tae i ;rd before o.e I louse an account of the Bratss and foreiort shipping em ployed in the trade of Great Britain, for tnree years, ending sth January, 1807, and showing the Lum ber of tons of said vessels, and the men employed in clearing outwards and inwards in each year." Mr. ROSE said, lie did not rise to oppose this motion, but to state that he was at a loss to know what the lion. Gentlernaii coilid possibly make out from such an occoubt. The only law passed dur ing last Session, which had any relation to this mat ter, was the American lineicouroe, Bill, anJ upon that subjea the Noble Lord opposite to him (Lord Temple) had asked him yesterday whether Allah ten imenii •d to reveal it, in consequeoce of th e o:onions hoimerle stated to ? l'o this, he answered, that it st as rather an importaut vestion to he determined, doting the penJ:ng of a treaty with .America ; although he WAS convinced such a repeal must be of advantage to the country. Dur ing Cie time that 80. seas pealing, he was eau: vinced it would prove a nuschievous Bill, and he was now more confirm, d in that opinion, as lie could venture to say, that it achially puts this country in a worse situation than we weie in be fore, by enabling the Americans to drive the Bri tish shipping cut of the c locial trade, us the Vs'est Indtan had net means o, carrying his sugar to America. On these grou n d s , he very much whether, upon a competition between Bri usti and American snips, tax latter would not gain the ascendancy. Viscount HOWICK thought the Right Honour. tittle Gentleman Lad hitherto treated the respea shie body of SOip Owners with great contempt, and therefore it was his wish to vindicate them. 'lite erroneous representations which had been made might be prejudicial to them, but could not be fair ly argued or persist al in by those who propagated there. It vois very extraordinary, that the Right llonourahle Gentleman, after having boldly as no Led, dot the American Intercourse 'hit had pro duced all ll.r evil ersilts that he had pretliifled, by tti.i.hing the West India Trade from British ship. and eaeouraging the American trade, should rovertheless inform the House, that be had nu in teotion of repealing it. There was no roan mute duteous than he was to cultivate the good-will and friendship of America, being convinced it was for the interest of bath countries i but be could not carry that desire so far as to say, that au Ad of Parliament, detrimental to our interest, and de. strut:live of the British colonies, shouldeioot be re p-sled as soon as its evil elfeEts were discovered It 0:e 'fight Hooutuaole Gentleman had experi enced the roc , invenienc e lie expressed, nothing could tenuity him in not repealing it. There was one cir oirustaace to which the Right Hon. Gentleman slid rot seem to advert—he meant that it was not ISeCeS• etteetliesmorail* to suspend it ; hut iffs he had not heard; that the Right Hon. Gentleman had thought proper to advise His Majesty to do so. The truth was, all the charges brought forward upon this head were totally unfounded, and had been only mule by the presen: Ministers, to serve their own purposes when in Op- position, but which they, in their consciences, could not now venture to support. Be:ore he sat down, he could not help saying a word or two respeding the condud of another Right Hon. Gentleman op posite (Mr. Perceval) respeding the Order of Coun cil passed in consequence of the French decree of the 21st of November. That Right Hon. Gentle. man had stated, that he thought then, as he seemed ' still to think, the measure of the last Administra tion wholly inadequate to the purposes intended ; and if so. why did he not now take spun himself to advice His Majesty to corred that spineless mea sure? Was not that decree just as much in force against this country as it was when lw st obj;:ded to it ? use tad was, the whole conduit of the pre. sent Ministets manifestly sheaved, that they do not believe chat they themselves formerly said when in Opposition. Mr. ROSE repeated, that so far from repealing the American Intercourse Bill, he would rather, binder existing circumstances, advise its renewal. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose, he said, net for the purpose of prolonging; this discussion, by objcding to the motion, but merely to account for his condun u?on the su'jet alluded by the Hon. Mover, and dwelt upon with so much force by the Noble Lord who had just spoken. He did still continue to• lament, that tile measure which the late Government had thought proper to adopt at the time when the violent decree of France respeding neutrals was passed, was not met in a manner more efficacious; but via he did not con ceive that this would be a proper or convenient time ' to make any alteration in it. It did not appear to him to follow, necessarily, that, under different eit cums,ances, and at different periods, tlii,isters should endeavour to pot in execution those plans which they had formerly sugges , ed. It was LIVOII such grounds he had ran thought it advisable. to re commend to His Majesty's Government to :at upon the principles he originally entertained. Sir CILII:I,ES PRICE said a few word, which we did no , diatindly hear. Lord HENR Y PET I Y noticed tL very extra. ordinary ground upon which the present Minivere seemed to be ading. Hi, Lordship contended. t:..it if the coarse recommended by the Iti - gbt Han Gen tleman at di- time et the passing of t::e decree was advisable at that time, it must be equally s-1 now ; a .:j .16.0 that it theArn-rc in In:etcolt-se 8.11 appear ed to Ministers to he so detrimental to British com merce, they could not he justified in petrnitti.l3 its c nvinu'inee Ili. Lordsh; l scrioclud:d with ex:), e.s wi•h that all the information upon the subjea sbnuld be laid before the Hilv.r, In order th it the public might be able to form an accurate idea of the rate of fads, relative to British navigation and commerce. VliCo113: CASTLF.RE AGH supported the con dna of his Right Hun Ftiend, the Chancellor or the Exchequer, in hot rashly proposing any altera tion of the -rder of Council, to v hieh he hail for merly obj.lted, however erroneous and in tTicacias it might be. tie would put it to the Noble Loud opposite, whether that matter wis equ shy open to d7c:sion now, as when the measure seas first adopted by the late Government? It was a perteftly new question upon which the House W4i how called upon to an ; but still the present Government had given nn pledge respeeling the system winch they meant to (Mlle. Mr. CANNING observed, that this was a dis cossion arising out of a motion for papers, to the produstion of which no objeltion had been made, merely for the purpose of ma:dog an attempt to in duce fts Majesty's Ministeis to come to an 'apts.- nation upon the course which they intended to pur sue respelling Neutrals in general, and to find out how far they were prepared M advise His Majesty to carry into elfea those principles which they had formerly urged as more consistent with the inter ests of the country. This was certainly matter foreign from the subje.9 in question, and he could see no political good consequences likely to ensue from it, hut, on the con•rary, that it merely tended to gave a flu:l:ration to reports abroad. which might have a mischievous tendency. It WAS in comm sn sense perfoily demonstrable, that whatever objee• t;n , s there might be existing to any system, WhCa fiat suggested, the qta..stion, at a sutirequent period, would resolve itself unto th- question or as t‘s what would now be best, according to esistin . , ..T circum stances ? If, however, by tiieir aciniescence in any measure of the formino Administration, it was to he inferred, that the present Ministers mist om:clarify be converts to their principles, lie begTf.l leave to objeft in the most unqualified manner to such an inference. Ile could assure the House, that he was no convert to this particular measure; but, at the same time he would say, that after looking into it. and having experienced its consequences, be had hit hesitation to acknowledge, t:sat it a more vigorous and efficacinur principle had been adopted at the outset, it would have Answered the purpose better, and afforded the means of avoiding fumy inconve niences. Mr. Will THREAD stated, that whatever the Right Honourable Gentlemen might think of the system formerly, they were bound, in doing their duty as servants of the public, to adhere to their avowed principle, and consult consistency ; this duty he did not think they could discharg e without proceedin g i m t ne di atcly to reverse th at system which they had formerly so inuc:l condemned. An observation had been made, that the American In tercourse Bill was attended with mischievous conse quences, in preventing the sugar and other %Vest India produce from being sold. not these Right Honourable Gentlemen know, that that AA could not be called into operation without the ad ' vice of the King in Council, and if not called into anion, all obj:nions would consequently be dote away ? The blame therefore attachable to Minis ters, was fur not suspending an AR, by the opetrat.on of which our iiipping interest in their opinion was likely to bz ruined. These were public servants, who were neglening their duty, unsizr pretence that something in the American 'Freely might miffed the question. For his part, he thought it was still more necessary for him now than it wa s f or m er ly to { IV hillibliitPasiitipasilsta-arsatite s .nrovi s i cs l they could boast any validity. He begged leave to re. mind those who were list merly so violent in Council, that such violence very often produced an elfeel contrary to what was originally intended by these blustering politicians . Mr. CANNING observed, that he would father he at all times considered an injudicious than a blundering accuse;. Mr. BARING said a few words in su;sport of Lord Howick's arguments. Dr. LAURENCE observed, that with raven to the attack made by the Right Hon. Secreias y (Canning) upon his Hon. Friend near him (Mr. Vhithread), he would say, that it was not by the blunders of the accuser, but by the decision of his Peers, that the Noble Lord alluded to was acquitted; or was the Right lion. Gentleman willing to rescue the chrraa,rr of his friend only by attributing his escape to the mistakes of his acetts.a. ? Mr. RYDER and Mr. MON I'AGUE spoke briefly on the other side. The Motion was then put, and agreed to. PARLIAN.F.NTARY REPORTS. Mr. STURGES BOURNE rose, and observed, that before the House proceeded to further business, he wished to call their attention to a matter ma terially conneted with their privileges. He had upon a late occasion troubled them on the subject of a series of calumnies, and had the satisfattion to receive Irons two Noble Lords opposite (liuwick and H. Petty) a liberal interpretation of his condua. 7b• ALrnia; Chr9.7/c.':, however, had made a report ot what had pa.scd yesterday in that business, and had suppressed every thing said by these two Noble Lords in his vindication, although it had given the report fully in every other par:. Ot this condua h.: had to complain ; and in doing so, ha had to assure the House that he was as warm a friend to the liberty of the press as aoy man, but he highly condemned its abuse. He was also tar from wishing ro impede the circulation of reports of Parliamentary proceedings in the world, which tend so much to eidighten and inform the public of the pi oceedings of that House ; while, at fire same time, he was aw..re, that, by the standing orders, were lie itanced by a vindidive spirt, he could call the Printer and Publisher of that Paper tolihe Bar. lie thought, however, it was but jostle: to himself, to state, that it such things were repeated, he should certainly notice it in a more s•:rious m.tnner, as it was surely high!) improper to sup. press any particulars stated, that involved the cha rafter and honourable zepotation of individuals, wit were often as it were put upon their trial, and re. ceived jodiraeat in that House. Viscount FOLKS CONE rose to speak to or. der ; when he was interrupted by the SPEAKER, wh • observed, that there was no gleation before the House. mEmIIERS OF PARLIAMENT. Sir S, ROMILLY gave nonce, that, on Monday Wiluight, he should move for leave to bring in a Sill to alter the pr • Si ce o f C ourts of Equity, in suits in which the interests of Members of Parliament were involved. He gave this long previous notice, merely as it was a matter which would necessarily occasion the giving up of one of the privileges of Members of that House. The alteration he proposed was eattive to a considerable partiou of expense, from a h ic:l, accordiug to the pi esent practice. Mein. hers of Partin nent were relieved, while the opposite party had to sustain it. A Member of Parliament, when Plaintiff, was not obliged to give a copy of the Bill to the Defendant, wink, it Delendant, he must receive one Iron* the Plaintiff. It was merely for the purpose of putting Members of Parliament, when suitors in a Court of Equity, upon all equality of expense with the rest of His Ilaysty's subj refs. Upon thenrition of Mr. IJA NKES, • Commit tee was appointed to examine 111 W the situation of the Rii.isli Museum. Mr. Banker: Also brought up a Bill for preventing the gr•at of offizes in reversion or tot joint byes Re4l • first time, And °Wet ed to be :cad a second time on I hursdoy Lord limry l'etty obtained leave to bring in Biil for the timer regulAtiuts of the payment of taxes in Scotland, and 'emitting the revenue of that country to the B ink of England. Mr. W HI ri(E.u.) postp-med his notice, which stood lot Friday, 'Lull Thursday se'nnight. I• %%As C)1. COCHR A N JOHNS !'ONE state.!, that having been an eye witness to the dreadful mentality among our soldiers in the West India islands, he 1 ad endeavoured, for many years, so far as lay in his power, to retflify certain errors, for tie pot pose of a nteltoratiog their situation. Ile attributed the many deaths which took place to two cans-s, the situation of the bat racks in these islands and the want of ventilators on the tops of them. It had been an invariable custom to elect them upon the se:.-Otore, while experis!.ce had sliewet, that the interior of the eousitry wis far more healthy. It had come within his knowledge, that in the course of five week; no fewer than 57S men died in the Barracks, situate upon the Ct./ISt, While there Wai not a single death an the same period in the Bat. racks in the interior. This was an important con sideratior, when it was known that every soldier sent cut to the West Indies con Government at I lets: tool, lie was confident, that were proper at . intim; p rid to these particulars, the Barracks would become much more lmalthy, and the mortality no greater than in any nihrr place. The Honourable Alrmber also a Iverted xi the situation of SnbaL terns in those islands, which he described as truly d:s:ressing, they having only Ss. aid. per day for subsistence, which, during indisposition, could not afford them the means of recovery; and, in many cases, they were unde, the absolute necessity I of being indebted to the humanity of people of colour, who aeually gave their labour, and afforded them that fool which their small pittance warun able to procure. The Medical Board was certainly a very proper regulation, but as it existed in this country, unless a pour ()dicer WAS able to pay SOL or 601. for the purpose of defraying exoet.ses, he could not cline home. He hoped, that under such circumstances lie should be excused for bringing this matter forward, being only aduateJ by a de sire to procure justice for his fellow office; s ; he hopes' that the Noble Lord, now at lite lead of the Colonial Department, would pay curry tem ion to the subjeft, and not object to the Niutum which he was about to Propose; tor, nolms some r-goz,lati, 41 oneeJils dud. a v.aul:4 tees:erit d• the country to withdraw our troops from the West ye. dies altogether. Should his Motion be agreed to it was his intention to move for a Committee to in. quire into the cause of that mortality, and the best mesas to prey, nt its continuance. He concluded with moving, "That there be laid before this Eime r , eeeeme nt of the number of His Majesty's troop s in the West Indies, from the I a January, 1 797, to Ist dAtitiAry,t./807, with a statement of the numb er of desalts is each year, distinguishing Officers hum men. aril the name; of such Officers." Vie:twin CAS MERL AGII, while he did justice to tie lion. Member's feelings in bringing tin- e circumstances to the consideration of the House, felt it peintul to state that he was under the meet -s.ity of objeaing to the motion. In his opinion, a Committee of the House could not be able to pros,. cute the twee:s4l'y inquiry, and it would be better to leave it in the hands of the Executive Govern ment, unless it were thought that the Government v.t.is likely to sleep upon its post, even in a matter regarding the humanity and the interests of so msev of His Mej isty's subj.es. There was a circerre stance besides, that even though the House were to accede to the granting of this account, it would he found not to be a document that could give sati.- felory informetien. Oo the contrary, it would only send to afford a very improper compArison, as there was an improper impression upon this suhjsell already existing in the public mind. The N./hie ford then entered into a detail of the various means adopted by successive Administrations, for the lest 10 years, to preserve the health of troops in the West Indies, which he stated bad been attended with very considerable success. Mr. WINDHAM could nut give his support to the motion of the Hon. Officer, inasmuch as it woad lay before the House a statement, in his op;. nion unnecessary. It would appear as if a f lus was wanting, both by the House an.: the Execu tive Government, to attend to that important con. sideration. or to su 'gest any system of alteration. During his short official existence in the Colonial Department. he had done much to lecture intie m inion upon that subjeCt, and much had been cf. felted. It was hoping too much, to suppose thet tropical chromes could be made Altogether cones. nial to the natives of but wee ; but it was <dll to be wished and expetted, that many of the eviis arising from those contagious disorders which have at:i ned those puts of the world, would not contir.o • to nee. rate, or that their fatal effcets would he aheshecd. It was no slight difficulty in deci tint on the best mode of adoption, thin der:rein opteiens on the cAuses of colonial mortAety, and of the meant of preventiotewtre given by mAny well Liimmed per sons; persons who, nnruil authority commanded a similar confhlence. Fut - inserter. with reiteCl to this lodging of tt troops, sumo proposed hammocks, others again insisted that beds were pi derAble. Oa one stile fleeting hospitals were preferred, whilst even) , respeetable au thniii y wasdeclared in favour of those on land. In fad, in a consideration of this kind, what might be good inone point of view, would be attended with manifest inconveniencies in anti. ther. Thus the situAtiou for barracks, which might have the beet. effect on the health of the troops, might be highly dangerous to the d, fence of the islend. The 1-13 n Gentleman leho breught for ward the motion. may effect good by the introduc tion of it to the consideration of the Government and the House, but the result of prosecuting it far ther in the mode prescribed, might be less thin bene ficial. With respell to the embarrassed situation of 'teethe; n officers, he Lad only to say, that however he had to regret it, y,t it seas one et those incidental I evils, which, he fear e d, it was not in the power of the State to redress. It would come to this, that m et; most net go into the service without a suf ficiency to suppers ein't. The effeet was only in that, the sAme as in on., r occupations, where men e Tier in them without a su,ticient capital. Wl•.e.. deer any increase to such a description either ought ar will rake place, lie did not toe; discuss, but he felt convinced that the principle of the Hon. Gently. m in, on the: point, was entirely fallacious. Sir JAMES PULTLNEY spoke a few words on t!iis suSjed, and was couvinced that much good would result from a great many local correft n in the Colonies. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH could not recognize general admissions as sufficient grounds against Parliamentary inquiry. 11:thin these ten years the mortality had increased in the proportion of sm.- third. Yet if the Colonial Secret try of that time had been consulted upon the subjeet, he certainly would have indulged in the same hopes and expect ations which they had that night heard from the Noble Lord. Toe argument of the Noble Lord proved too much If the accounts of the mortality in the %Vest Indies were (As he said), exaggerated. it was then mote aecessiry to produce the accounts, in order to verify his own assertions, and to allay the doubts which the public entertained. The Committee were therefore best calculated to male the inquire. though not to carry its result into ese cution. The question WAS of high importance in another view, we ch as it concerned the safety and exeense of our Colonial possessions. It would be material to ascertain at what expense of men and money our pe,sessions at the other side of the At lantic were m iintained, and such au inquiry enable the HOUte to appreciate the nature of oar Colonial system. Colonel COCHRANE. JOHNSTONE &The- ', that he never would have hroiight this subject beet:: the !disuse, without first laying Isis statement the existing Government. He had done so as Weil to the last as to the present Administration. F..r theth e ardent present.he e e e d . withdrawden tr eaty . that his m o ti on , would tin der be come an obj e l o f liornediAte investigation and l re dress with His NI .iesty's present Government. If the contrary senuld he the result, he pledged him self to bring it aaheAlly before the aueutiou of PArlianseie. The moiion was withdrawn. Mr. LE 11-111 aI DO moved the appointment of a Select Committle tin of Mr. PAlnier, prying for comp.tt.ition In, his serv;ces to revenue, in co..sevence of the Mail Coach Este- After sans: ohserv.rions from the CHANCEL, LOa of the F.X.:I 11.Q1; Lit 4,1 d the SPEAKLIt, the m nits!' wee cairsesi, and the Committee ap pria:ed. The Ca AN =LIAR 41 _lke EISCLIEQUER 1 • • 1 -- •••••••1