The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-01-29 00:00:00

. . SCOTCH JODICATVRE. • The LORD CHANCELLAHiI-gave notice, that it lot intention, in the cause a week, to butoott to Ha House his promised Mature Ilk Reform of the Scottish Jiadicater., sod lot dug caws. • Adiri ' tippeso were siscie tutu that i l ey illa r i etowet of , VOTE OF THOES TO nitlikirr ANZLNAYY LATELY EMPLOYED 1111 TITWEIALTIC. Lord HAWKESSURY ruse for the purpose of submitting to rase confederation of that !louse his promised 'Avalon for vetting the Thanks of their Lordships to the gallant Officers who commanded the Expedition to the Island of Zealand, anti also to the soldiers and sailors who served under them ' oa that occasion. In toting their servi,ss, and s:iaitpti for the approbation of Parliament before their Lordships, it was his strong and sincere deter mination to avoid any discussion on the principle of that ineaiure, which lb* Majesty's Government • bad deemed it advisable to undertake. Its jestioe ' • er injustice, its policy or impoliey, were questions fir subsequent tkithx nttien. lie, therefore, unlit the present occasion, woukt confine his ukserva bons to the nature of the duty in Whith Alteite . forces were employed, and to the kbdity and yaleiir displayed by theta during their operation. fa taking that review, it was memoir). to advert t o the arceuutances under which that armament s ailed from this countyy. A part had previously arrived in Pomerania, for the purpose of assisting our gallant Ally, th e King of Sweden. In thei course of a short period, and in consequeoce of • the Treaty of Tihit, it was considered by His Mojesty's Government necessary to vend 4 naval force to the Baltic, with the object of surrounding the island of Zealand, and of course intercepting any counnunnition pith the Continent. From the occurrence of circumstances, auotheraquadron sail ss for the same destination, which carried out orders to the Noble Lord (Cathcart) to embark the troop. be heal in the North of Germany, and to take the chief command of the whole of the military force is the Baltic. Qn the 16th of August, alter the failure of those diplomatic communications, which had been made on the part of llis Majesty to the Government of Copenhagen, the whole force com menced their diseeabaritation, and, perhaps, in the whole history of similar services, never was more peomptitude and ability displayed, and never were • the inertta of the arrangement more strongly illus trated in the facilities of the execution. In five days the whole army, with the artillery, stores, &c. were landed, sod instant measures were taken by ' the gallant Commander to prevent a wanton effu sion of blood, by holding out to the Danes a se tend offer of arrangement and negociation. - He had uext to provide against the military population a the island, which was aimed to the amount of ' thirty-five toforty thottaand men. In aelectiag the versos most competent for that important duty, the lipase will eertaMly ratify his choice of the gallant officer, Sir A ut hor Wellesley. It was need le... to my., that the duty was performed by that dist.iiguielied General, with the same valour, energy: attilitv, and zeal, which have uniformly e l m : ractensed him on the numerous occasions in which he has been so variously employed in different parts i•f the world. Apia, en the bombardment of Copenhsgen, everything that talent and ingenuity could dense, every exertion that valour and saga city could achieve, was exemplified in the con duct, and borne out by the issue of the event.— What objection could be anticipated to the Motion which be - •It it his duty to make ? He hoped it be considered as an argument against elution, that the services ormed were • remunerated by the ap probati on of that • they were attend by a great effu e blood. There were two grounds ...claim; for approbation were juin -, either that the object in Which they were err. gaged ••• , set of magnitude and importance, or that t were displayed in the execution, that ability, that military skill and prompei . Mtn/laically claimed the thanks of and the public. The Noble Lord next o the prompt decision of the naval part ...apetlition, under the commend of the gal- Admiral (Gauthier). Duringthe whole course operations, he had reudered the most er -o i)e rat i a:), and by his exertions, subse • surrender of topenhagee, in fitting utmost expedition, the Danish ships realised the lending object of secu. tell that expedition was undertaken. Lord then moved the Thanks of that Earl Cathca.t.—(For the Resolerion, Cousapoes.) AND deelara l. he never wise to nil- Lordritipa with more irksome feelings present frt.-cabin:l. but he rose to pc: form however iiiiiiieaAaat, was still his duty, performance of that duty, lie disdained imputation of beekif nctnated by any perso na l ruility to either of the gallant and dire Otliners. whose names were, of wires lured into tlwirliscossion. With one he unacquainted, and, though his com a with the other was slight. he still enter him the highest revert. From a discus pyinciple of the Copenhatrii expedition k forbear. Whatever might be bib .subjwct. and. indeed, he was rather ietcraunation, he still was unwilling the view he entertained of the skill i.playeil in that servicif, 'with the in ipelicy of its object. The question trod him war, whether there was, or been dia r laed.un that occasion, that and devisio.i, which alone citified tin, et Parliament to grant,tite highest I.over to beitow? Suchthankv were our aucettora, or. indeed, in 'no ; ulna greacutid important occur the magnitude of thi danger arts the rigeur.of the execution, where encounter with difficulties, and va tiiiisreciatxd by its anemia in surmount- This bad cvt:e been the extent of the was never lost vighl of lathe mac• Fished the ?Cede Sceretzry and the lect tile, cosi., in which Lord flood, and galfant conduct at the attack on mvideralile town of time island of Cora the theekv et* Ihriiatnent on 41 , 0 pm . ina IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ~aa eue HOUSE OF LORDS, JAIs.IS.• try vny UnUILI SCR bo d Wh tt at o a l ld sjection nv which be felt t meter would be such a resotutio not to be mints House, unless t sion of human upon which thr fieil, either that giqed was one that there were valour and chili tudr, which iii V•irhatrieut and a:lreitcd to the of the Ea prilttii Lint Admiral (I of those °penal; frctivr ro-oiiera . queut to the am out, with the ut fur sea, fully re, rity, for winch The Noble Lor 'louse to Earl ride Costrooss. Lord HOL.Cd dram tlic;.r Lon than (r; the prc so that which, how sod in the perfo the imputation fielir9,7 of hrotili tiogroilleil °this sky. int ro;lured was totally 11114 muniestion with rinsed for him ti siodof the prime he would al in opinion on thAs fixed in ijis det. So confound the end valour dila'. justice aid impc which intim:rice< could have bee tnlrtt, talotiv, ill Officers to claim honour in it. oo never %tried dean tines, but reaces, %them tl mo l ded with ti; talent had to e tour wil.; noircei in; tLlr n. Tnis isnot-tide. and wi tier. He wish. 'poise to ruf for his Skilrill ens 6.66114 . 1111 1::COdS ,;011110 .sec.eive4 th 3 tiler oecas'on, where the itijitry ding to the enemy, and the advantage obtained for this coun try twee great, he unslisgiblasurinderlfthe 'foil -ies fleck,* never was ustlkconternaf the 'then existing Goveraisteat to apply to RuUniient 'fey tite►enpreasion of its' approval. The object in Winch that g4liant Nobleman was employed on the latter QCia.sion arm oae of-graataud serums untgai- Ludo, hut because it, e as not an opportaity in which great military prowess was or could be exerted. uo • such thanks were considered as necesiiii. He would not be thought us detracting front the merits of the gallant officers comprehended within lie pre sent Motion; he was aware that, on fhe prsent occasion, they did every thing that the nature of the service required, and he was confident, that if it called for those energies and acts of valour, they would have displayed them in their respective con duct. There was no opportunity for their exercise, and the House should be cautious before it made too cheep those honours which depended for their value on the basis of public opinion, and which, as they tare too trivially bestowed, became proportion alb-deteriorated in public estimation. It was with this feeling that their ancestors, iu the best periods dear history, had wisely abstained frotnrenderiug their public honours of little import, lay any im proper or unmerited grant. Thus, duriug the grand sneeeision war, there were uo instances • throughout that successful period, of Parliament ary resolution, except for the brilliant victories Of the Duke of Marlborough, and the gallaut attack of the Duke of Ormond at Vigo. The Noble Lord, in considering the respective merits of the inittary and naval Commanders at Coeenha.'en, ;ud carrying in his contemplation the cdorts of the former against a fortified to-.vn, saw none justifies tiou for returning to the army those thanks which, in his opinion, could not at all attach to Admiral Gambier, and the fleet under his command. lie called upon their Lordships to reflect upon the sj s tem of that people from whom the world had re ceived such numerous lessons of henna policy, he meant the Roman Republic, Who hesitated inure in conferring the dignity of a triumph. than in the I appoietnient to the Consulate, or to the other I Curule *Gels. It was a strong desire to uphold the dignity of that .House, and to preserve the va lue of its approval, that alone induced him to take a line of condliet so irksome to his feelings, but though a reluctant, he felt it was a necessary duty. The Earl of MOIRA differed from his Noble Frieedosatethe co ution draw aby him with respect to the nature and eitent of the services performed by the paint office:3 who commanded the military and naval foces in the late expedition to the Rat ' tic. It would be a consequence fraught with evil, if officers, appointed to the execution of objects, were to suffer their minds to be governed, or their actions regulated; by their justice or injustice, their policy or unpolicy. The plain inepury was, Did those officers do every thing necessary? Did they exert all their energies commensurate with the ob ject, and calculated to insure* success ? He was ws ims! from their character, and particularly from his knowledge of his gallant friend (Lord Cathcart) who commanded that army, that there was talent and energy sufficient to encounter every difficulty that might arise. He felt a kind of duty in making those observations, because he was one of those who had entered a protest against the prin ciple of an attack on an unprotected and defenceless people. There were, however, other Points upon which he fully agreed with his Noble Friend. To cheapen the approbation of Parliament, or to exalt petty acts of socceasful exertion into grea t and glori ous deeds, was a fixed and striking proof of a sieved- enee of national glory and public spirit. ft was said of the great Frederick, that at the end o f the seven years' war, he paid his soldiers with fabricated money. He had to hope that the coin of public gratitude, and Parliamentary approval, would ever be of sterling qiinlite, and In its dispensation would take the stamp from Trafalgar, Alexandria and Maids. Upon the present occasion, as the motion was introduced, he considered it his duty to sepa rate the conduct of the troops from the principle of the measure, and therefore lie should not oppose the motion. Lord ArCKLAND, although no man more deprecated the desertions of this country from the sanctioned principles of moral and national ustice, was still willing to give his vote of apprO bation of the ene'rgy, promptitude, zeal, and hu manity, with which the Officers who commanded, executed that sad and melancholy service. Lord MULGRAVE supported the claims of Admiral Lord Gambier, even for his admirable management of a fleet, the disposition of which ex tended to a length of two hundred miles. Much benefit resulted from his co-operation, and he I could see no analogy in the case of the Toulon fleet, as quoted by the Noble Lord (I ((gland) op posite. Had he recollected, he might have referred to the landing at Aboukir, where Lord Keith re ceived the t h anks of Parliameist, in conjunction with Sir It. Abercrombie, and on a previous occa sion, to Admiral Mitchell, off Holland. ' The con trary system would tend to create disunion amongst the two service.. Earl GHEI', in an energetic manner, sup ported the unonswerable arguments of his Noble Friend (Holland). Ile disclaimed any party feel ing, boycotted upon the House to preserve its own dignity, and to consider the enpreosion of its ap proval, as the strong incentive to distinguished acu of military skill and patriotic magnanimity. It was not sufficient to deserve siteh a high honour, ' that meat ehd every thing within the nature of the service. The occasion upon which they have acted must not only have been serious, but the conduct ought to be glorious and triumphant. Was the former position to be supported, the subordinate ('ounannder of a post or of a frigate, would be equally entitled to this high consideration. The itesolufmn was then put and carried.— After which, a discussion took place on that part of the Resolution, which thanked Admiral Gambier for fittii:4 frit the Ihmish navy. It was opp osed by the Durc of Norfolk, Earls Grey and Lan dert4sile,Durc and Lord Holland ; and supported by rord. Mulgrave and Ilawkonbury ; and carried in the affirmativ... The Resolutions to the subordi hate officers, and to the troops and sailors employ ed, were also agreed to. FRENCH DECREE. Lord TlOLLAiiiiiivenotire --- Of his intention to mote, on Moran , nee, " Foe the copy of spy communication received by this Majesty's Mini :- tern from any accredited Ambassador Agent . of_a Neutuil owerArhich purported to be a statemea i of the ex *of the Irene Decree." STATE PAPE.ILS• Earl GREY, in adverting to 'the papers laid on the table, said, it was his intention to move for cer tain papers; which were necessary to supply a very apparent chasm in the papers produced. He par itclarly alluded to the answer of M. Lindberg to the letter of Lord Gower, when the latter solicited to have this country included in a general peace. tie was anxious to know whether his Lordship had re plied to the Russian 'Minister's answer? and whir* . that reply forthcoming, if he had. He therefore gave notice of his intention to move, on Monday next, for this document, and fur all the other suhl sequent correspondence which had taken place be tween Russia and this country. The Peers were ordered to be summoned.—Ad- • joutaed. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. ROSE gave notice, that oa Tuesday next be would move, " That the humor revolve itself into a Committer, to consider the propriety of . admitting Bruit vessels to import the produce of that country into Great Britain." MARGATE PETITION. Sir Edward KnatchbuU presented • Petition from the in habitants of this place, relative to the damage done by the late storm to :Margate Pier.—Ordered to be referred to • Committtee. AMERICAN INTERCOURSE BILL. On the motion of Mr. ROSE it was ordered, that the House resolve itself into a Committee; to consider the propriety of continuing this Bill. Mr. EDEN, in a speech of some length, ex pressed his surprise, that the Right Honourable Gentleman should propose the continuutuni of such a Bill, in the present situation of both coun tries.amil after the angry measure adopted by Ame rica in her late Non-Importation Act. We would, he continued, have every day an opportunity . of hearing from that country ; and in case America had withdrawn this hostile Act, he would have no objection to the paining of this Bill. Mr. ROSE said, whet he meant to propose by this Act was, to continue one made iu 1797, which had for its object the cultivation of en ami cable and friendly intercourse between the two countries. If America had inconsiderately pre cipitated herself into this measure of hostility, it would he thought be more wise in this country not to follow berexample, but to denl towards her with moderation and forbearance. The present Act would *spire in five weeks, and if this measure did not take place, no American ship could touch at any of the ports. of this country ; and, therefore, he should only propose to continue the present Act for a limited time, in order to prevent the conse quences that might ensue from its unseasonable expiration. His doing this did not preclude the adoption of any other measure which the relative situation of the two countries might reader Re: cosokry. He would, therefore, move—.“ That the House do give him leave to bring in a Bill to con tinue for a time, to be limited, an Intercourse of Commerce, Navigation, and Friendship, between ills Maksty and the United States of America." The House resumed, and leave Was given ac cord i ugly. VOTE OF THANES TO THE ARMY AND NAVY, FOR THEIR EXPLOITS IN THE BALTIC. Lord CASTLEREAGH rose, in pursuance of the notice he gave on a former day, for the purpose of calling the attention of the House to the ser vices of the army and navy in the Baltic; in doing this lie flattered h4nself that whatever difference of opinion there might exist upon the political branch of that service in the House, there could be none existing as to the proposition he should have the honour of submitting. It had been al ways the custom of the House, upon similar occasions, studiously to separate the conduct of those who executed a measure, from that of those who were entrusted by the government of the country with its execution. There was not, how ever, any thing that should make him particularly solicitous, upon the present occasion, to abstract the military operations of the enterprise, from the con duct of its political advisers ;. but it was avowedly a wise principle, that the Parliament, in looking . to the conduct of those entrusted with the executive management, should view it without any political sentiment. He thought this mode of procedure was due to the Honourable Gentlemen on the other side of the House, who, he was convinced, were equally anxious with him to do ample justice to those military services, although they' perhaps could not approve of the political _prin ciples of those who planned the Expedition. IJpon these grounds then he apprehended that the parti cular question for their consideration would be, whether, taking the whole nature of the service, it catald b e deemed of that description which, in point of magnitude, importance, and difficulties, would entitle those who executed it, to the thanks of the House? Ni one viewed with greater jea lousy than he did. that reward and sanction of Parliament in a Vbte of Thanks, as connected with the advising an enterprise. With respect to the magnitude and importance of the service, no one could doubt. whether they considered the extent of the means that were employed, or the result pro duced by it. He certainly could fairly assume, that it hod hardly ever happened in the military history of this country, that Parliament was ever called upon to consider a measure of greater mag nitude, than that they were now called upon to con sider. Ile was aware that there was no occasion to enter into the question as to the propriety of the original measure • for although Gentlemen might conceive that there were moral objections to t hat enterprise, they sink in oblivion, when connected with its magnitude, as it was impossible that any man could think that so large an addition to the naval force of the country, even were they not taken from our enemy's power, was not a most important acquisition. Such a question had never fallen to the lot of any Parliament to consider. It could not be acid, that the operation was so easy in its nature, that the army and navy were not entitled to the thanks proposed, equally as if there bad existed greater difficulties. His Majesty's Ministers felt it their bounden duty to provide most 'ample means for the effectual execution of the enterprise, in order that they might make the force sn clearly irresistible es to, take away all hope of effectual re siatance, and thereby furnish to Denmark an op. pertuoity of testifying to the ...ell, that it wl possible to resist the attack. it certainly et u,, dity of Millisters to send the greatest poe.U s . force they could spare, and when at Copeole v , it was found indispensably necessary to call foi t assistance of a corps that was, in fact, in the s e w ! , of the 1it , 28-4Sitetiet 4 44o o a 41, 1 4 0 0, the 4a..c e assembled ei ropenhaseu ens certainly a Most powerful one; and never was an army rendered More ellisieat, by ba • ng.p . rovided with evssy tliul of means to effectuate diesr pupose. It might he necessary to call the attention of the House to the particular nature of the difficulties that army bad to contend with, and the nature of 'the fort* o . p. posed to them. There was a general disposition to run away with the notion, that the force assembled in the Island of Zealand was not of a nature, either in point of number or description, to or pose any effectual resistance to an army, so name rous and so imposing as that sent front this couatri . With respect to those who were found iu arms Zealand, from the. most scrupulous inquires had Made, the number of Danes who had tak en up arms did very conitideralaky exceed l a te mann , of the troops sent sointtbsies. In his caeulatisi n he did not inclade the faros of armed peasautei Zealand, and the.armed tahabitants of Coilenba gen. Were be to iaelade those of such descrip tions engaged at the !siege of Copenhageu, the to tal number would be much more considerable, but speaking only of the regular force of the Danes. their armed nausea, and regimented .mi litia, there warnot less thin a force of 40;,4000 Men within ant) without Copenhagen. The•pfar rison of Copenhagen alone did not consist or k t ss than fifteen thousand men, and the gattriaen Crouenburg between four a nd five thousand mote. The army iltat,Ceme out of:Copenhagen may be stated at sixteen thousand men, besides* all the armed popithifiqh abided to; add to which, that it war not the amount of force within the Island: that M should alone allude to, for he might state, that it was considerably increased by the facilit* parsing an armed force from the adjaceut'conptry , however attentive the navy, situated in the Qreat Belt, was to prevent such consequences, it Ant cer taioly not of that description of blockade lint could prevent an enterp9ie Of this nature 'from being defeated by iis army passing over front'' oppotate coast. It was not merely the sniping the enemy's force that constituted the Ziffsimltieu. this enterprize. for they had to attack a town hardly inferior in extetat to any town in Europe, which, by its variant; out-works, was reudenid in capable of surprise,, so- that there wee no means for our army to ga aesaion 'of it, except by re gular attack. AU the Officers utirmiuted wish that place knew that from the nature of its t;itvle s tad work.. it was coronletely iniulneraitle mot could only be approacieed•bps carder bombard meat. so severe and effectual, that be could hard!: think the enterprise could Ntith Pities' he seeder. valued by any pie, on acetruht of the difficulties encountered. With respect to the time enaployyd in taking the place; he begged the House to COA-• shier the nature of the attack, anal the openttions necessary in landing suck . a finer, together o*th • time occupied in marching to comibence edam bardment of a place at three of roue Miles distance from their place of landing, thromthout -el of which it was necessary to place battering cannons. The whole of these operations were completed be. tween the tpth of Axigust, and the 2cl of Sep. tember ; and on that day such were the axe: • tions wed, that they were actually M a situation t summon the place to stivreuder. - Here the Nob Lord enlarged urn the dibgenee and activity m and the humanity "hewn- by the troops engageti in this lamentable attack ; and also made some alba *iota§ to the diffieultyof 'educing such is fortress, at such an advanced season • of the year I trout all of 'which he conelnded, that the Army add Navy had accnmplished an achievement the first consequence ' in a military point view. Ile also descanted,•witis his usual acute ness and precitioni upon the difficulties which Ministers had to encounter, in Order to expedite the sending or a force sufficiently provided with ne cessaries, toexecute effectually. with as little toes u possible to the Dimes, au enterprise of this maatiti tude. He added, it was weft wirertained thattbe French army in Holstein amounted to 40,000 men. The difficulty in procuring a sufficient number of transports, to convey the troops from this Country, was very considerable, and therefore a considerable time expired in this department of the operation. It *as on the 19th July that Hi s Majesty!s Minis ters' formed their opinion and determination, mid the expedition sailed, completely . equipped in old name, and every requisite for a siege, on the Seth of the same month, as that only eleven days had ex - pined in all. His Lerdship then mooed, ts Thit the thanks of this Howse be given to Lieut.-General Lord Viscount Cathcart, Knight of the most an tient order of the Thistle, for the decisive and jutli elfin" measures used by hi* in the late attack upon Corormhesevi.q Mr. WINDHAM:O%6%ff, dtit'notwithstand ing what lie had heard, it could not be expected that his former impression, as to the attack upo. Copenhagen, timid be in any•degree altered. felt himself under the necessity of opposiug motion, however unpleasant the taak. He not inclined to impute to Ministers any other motives that: what were proper, but he begged tr remind them, that in every measure of enterpriz, there was a third party brought into notice, wl• having committed no fault whatever, were first object to what had passed in their name, conceivi; themselves not to be parties to it. It was I pleasant to appear inclined to withhold praise fro, those to ahem it may be deemed due; but should set out with declaring, dud he should at scribe most cheerfully to all the Noble Lord I said as to the exertions used by the army and nay for he believed they had done all that men trot do in their situation, and even that they acted i moderate and temperate manner, to mitigate harshness and temerity of the service. He should at, agree that the merits °finish a service should be kep comoletely distinct from its peliti c al merits, wii4 which those entrusted with the execution of it lykd nothing to do. Although, however, it mightf be kept entirely separate from the merits of the nistry, yet be thenght that it ought not to be out of' notice in the consideratioa of the preset coition. ' He begged the Ileum, for a mosses, to consider a little those sont of rules by whl .101. p ot the '6iehifb g i n to gtr vice ea& tespel atuui addnh was a k t baili4ll :red e t ee 4 ose e had R : had corltr divide i isigh o she' arede, ed digpl &An n e w g rew RAY bee he PY not 1 lint of t riu df g ntia Cult to- skill ore; vine Ike and ate- if h hod gr s: to b cowl of wou o re. mea crib the him it it that she.' that the of Oat try ; teat COLI Cer- ViCi that offal rorn the , the of t It of eta of • l ea , owe UK' D r , tah cans re- in with rri, curs writ des ard- tht rdly wit der. dsc !ties cos oyeil do COA- of, i01:1 lllh 'the as loin do Liner .to I of tic oat. . be. tr os oble o tl al lit ti An- :ram a and t of t of Atte- hieh .elite, v ne- -16 RR 4;6i• Lthe nen. ir of Ary, ible tion. into- old oni- 1 96th I ex- t the ieral an- ledd- ti ) - 6 " and- eyed Spoil He the was Aber NI to w et to un• from. A he sub- hart mu hi Tina e the also :kk efeli- soleft rrsei,t wet. which