The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-05-03 00:00:00

pIIMMINIV NO7 TINGII.II.I RILL. a ciaisiderable spire of time. Ile therefhre 'hoped the Hon. Gentleman would withdraw his motion. Mr. DICK INS withdrew his motion, and the Report was ordered to be received. Mt. HARVEY having brought up the Report, Mr. DICKENS then moved, that the several Amendments it received in the Committee be read a second time. Nlr. BI•RLAND objeOed to the Bill being pass ed into a law in its present torm. He said it would occasion a contest at every ginner-sessions, and have the efreft of setting one half of the magistrates ot the county against the other; he was totally :.verse to the discretionary power which it lodged in the magistrates. Mr. HURST was in hopes no oppoe•ition could les made to the Hill in its present Inn. He had !,efore stated, on his honour and conscience, he did think eighteen-pence per mile, or twenty shil 1, •gs thr an inquest, too much. As to the .discre ti —ay power which the Hon. Gentleman objeaed to, he did not think it could be in safer hands than ci those of the magistrates of England; and he would enttin: to say, that no one Coroner, applying under the provisions of this AA, would have cause to com plain of them. The Coroners wore a respeelalste body of men, and when it was for a moimart con sidered, that they were ahowed nine-pence per mile, 50 years art°, the sum now proposed could not be considered too touch. Mr. BUR LAND explained. Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and on re. turning to the gallery we found the Amendments agreed to without a division. Mr. BRAGGE said, some one quarter-sessions in the year should he fixed on for making application to the mag;strates. After a few words from Lord Temple, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, and Mr. Calcraft, a clause was adopted to fix the time for Coroners making application to the magistrates, at the next general quarter-sessions af ter the feast of St. Michael, every year. Sir H. WILLIAMS moved for the intmduClion of a clause t , : this efreet—That when wrecks hap pened on any part ot the coasts, the Coroner, in his inquest on the unfortunate objets thrown ashore, shwild charge but one inquest on the several bodies. On the question for the Cd reading of the clause, Mr. BRAGGE observed, that the words of the clause proposed by the Hon. Baronet .score not pre cise enough. A wreck ma.; !Lippert a considerable way out at sea, and the bodies be cast ashore in dif ferent places, perhaps five, sis:, or ses en miles distant from each other, in which case, under the opera tion of this clause, the bodies should be brought to gether, or the saute Jury carried from place to place to hold their inquest on the several b o dies, which would be attended with great expellee and inconvenience, Lord W. Iit'SSFI. thought it unnecessary. nir R. W!LLIAMS then withdrew the clause, wher. the Bill ss ith the Amendments were ordered to bee: ! ;:aissed. - - - Mr. lIAIVKI'e:S BR(WNE moved the Order of the Day, for the I Gone tr , r esolve i tse lf i n t o a Committee of the whale House on the further con sideration of the Nottirzham Bill. The House reenived itself in a Committee of the whole I louse, Mr. Cropley Ashley in the Chair. Mr. FOX moved for the introdnelion of a clause, to enable any ten or more inhabitants of Notting ham, on signing a reqiiis:tion, to call in the county maoistrates in cases of riot or expeeled riots. Mr. H. BROWNF, ohjeeted to the clause, as it went to destroy the purport of the Bill. After the evidence which had appeared before the Committee of the existence ((riots, and the general want of se curity of lives or property in the town of Notting ham, no doubt could be entertained of the exnedi ency of the measure, and the remedy adopted by the Committee was of the gentlest nature, as it did not go to deprive the present magistrates of any au thority, or to disfranchise them, but to create a co existing authority. It went to enable the county magistrates to watch over the morals of the people. the clause was negatives!. Mr. BOND said, the riotous proceedings, and the inefEciency of the magistrates were too well known to require further comment. Mr. FOX said, the House mould knew the grounds on which they passed the Bill ; it arrears that the principal grounds %sere taken from a pam phlet, which, among other silly stories, contained the ridiculous aceciala of the Genleless of Reason having beer. carried in procession. '}'his matter had been opened by Counsel ; hut the Chairman of the, Conimittee said there was no occasion to enter on the subjett, as they were satiisil no such circum stance took place ; and set the other stories, equally absurd, on which this measure was founded., were taken from the %erne pamphlet which contained the account of the Goddess of Reason. Mr. G. ROSE said, it nag that a great many atis of indeertcy had taken place at Notting ham. Mr. FOX said, the meoietratee of Nouinghans were no mote accountebk for those insineencies, than the Hon. Geittleniaa Mr. BOND said, he did not take his information twins toe pamphlet to which the Hoa. Gentleman alhided. lie had it from very good authority. He aLtolowkdged, that the afair of the Goddess of keason was not proved. But it appeared in evi dence, that twertty-fear woroen walked in the pro cession, dressed in the mose insloceeit =meet. A gentleman who laid be had a bird'e-eve view of them, dewrihesi their anse.iratice, as use most its decent he ha.l ever witnesesei. He attrisred, there was ceetradittion in the evidence reepeeting the cheir, which was described es having a white vverael ; but which, when produced. tarred out to he a deer purple. Ilut the singing of the French hymn in the processis4r, vele SW dispeoeu After a deieltary convene/ion between Mr. Fiat, Mr. 'lankily% Browne, and Mr. %Strum. Smith, BOND 41, as the priocival olijett of tine framers of the Bill wis to have it in force bdure the next elation, he moved f o r the i ntro d a da m of a clause to enable the mazistraes of counties to re ceive the oaths of cluabfied nriagiser.ttes .24spointesi under this BM, and to ttansatit the same to the clerk of the 'vete. . The clause was agreed tn. 'sir. pox eigun.sed his theention to oppose the third rending of the Ha The tlpeaker battik; tikes the Chair. the ilopoet .. a e brought en, and the Sill ordered to be read a _hunt time to-morrow. Th e other ( kciers of the Day ~reek then mad and .let es red.— A diuurited. " TfLEJTRE-Ronii„ DRURr-LANR. Tilts THE EVEN IN NIAR G wiIIRIA be perf ( tEorated PROMISE. a New Comedy callisl The,Clnracer.try Mr .• C. ',Soluble, Mr. 1)w• Mr. ion, M I llolling4wortll, Mr. Kunst:ter, jun. Mr l'almer, Mr Pope, Mg. l'ott.4, Mr. Purser, Mr. Evans. 11r. M:ss Mellon, Mrs. Palm, Mrs. Sparks, Mrs. Madd.,:ki. To which w:11 he added, NO SONG NO SUPPKR. Margaretta, by a 1 101.;NG L %DV', (Pit:4l of la. Bussy, her lint Appearance on any Stage.) •.• The Palil.e at: most resitealfully informed, that on account of thr re)mach:in: R monis, the New Conicity NlArriag.. Promise can b acrd nnlv Eight N,glits more dining pre-irtit Sin:ow—The 13th Night will be on Thursday. with A !louse to he Sold. TLIE BRITISH PREISS. LON DON, TUESDAY, MAY 3. It is scarcely necessary to mention, that Mr. PATTEr had given notice in the House of Corn :hens of a motion on the State of the Nation, and that he had consented to postpone it until this day. Upon this day, therefore, it was expeCted to corne on, and the public mind was prepared for one of the most interesting debates ever agitated in Parliament. It was,hosvever, postpsned once more yesterday even_ ing, at the instance of theCis sszc et. t.oa ofthc Exciit qt e R, who said he entertained " a cotiklent expedatim" that he should be able to make, before Monday next, a communication upon the %tibial which now fills the public mind ; namely, the negotiation he t.WC.CM this country and France. Mr. PATTEN'S ny.tion consequently stands over sine die, and the aricw.ort of the E3clt Ere ER has time allowed until Monday to perform his promise. lie knows perfealy well the deep amiety of the public mind, and the fever into which it is worked up by the immense importance of the subjea, and the state of uncertainty which has so long prevailed. With this and the various other reasons which the C4SAN* cet.toit of the ExcurquEß has for cautiously se- laling his words, v - e cannot interpret his " confident extedation" into any thing short of a positive con viCtion. If, ho.vever, this construction were liable to any oblation, the conversation Nvhich took place in the House of Peers, last night, must silence all doubts upon the subjeCt.—ln that conversation, the Earl of DAkSLEV, with a view to relieve the pollie anxiety, gave notice of a 'notion for Friday ; and Lord l'ELitast assigned as a reason for its postponement, that " the negotiation is very near coming to a point."—No thing Cell from `!misters in either House, that the most catching eagerness could construe into a symp tom of the nature of the promised communication. The public have shewn not t.feverish urri,atience, but a rational anxiety during tie progress of this business ; and after what has IJ:used, they have a right to expo& that their anxiety shall be relieved before Monday next, but whether by a w arlike or a pacific communication the Minister has not commit ted himself; and we will do the nation the credit to admit, that it is equally prepared for either issue.—lndependent, however, of the Minis. ter's declaration, we have reason to believe, that the confident expettation entertained by him of a speedy issue, is well founded. We know that the Messenger, who arrived on Saturday from 'Vienna vid Paris, was detained for some time at the latter city by Lord WHIT wour tt, in order to bring over his dispatches. The Messenger did so, and a report has since prevailed in the first political circles, that upon a careful perusal, the proposal of the English Government was acceded to, but with so many alterations and qualifications, as rendered it a ques tionable c:tse, and at all events, one not entirely capable of a clear, decided, and unequivocal inter pretation. AlthDligil, therefore, Lord WHIT wourti understood it in its true sense, it became necessary that the dispatches should be returned to France for explanation. Considering then, according to report, that the whole difficulty rests in a loose expression, which ministerial caution wishes to amend into preci sion,we may fairly presume, with Lord Pc :./1.1,4, that the negotiation is very near its crisis. The amcndedan swcriscspettedonoraboutThursd:n•, andconsequent ' iy, the CHANCELLOR of the Excitroutt has cove nanted for fall time, by stipulating for Monday.— We say stipulate, for though, as Mr. WI - mm*s4 stated on Thursday, it is competent to a Minister to postpone a motion from day to day, under re sponsibility-, and the avowal of a negotiation, which a debate might embarrass. %Ve consider the I'VE- Diger, under all the circumstances of the present case, as positively pledged to a communication on Monday seat, at farthest.—He knows perfealy well, how much the dignity and honour cf the na tion are involved in the question. He knows full well, that the charatter of the nation must suffer in Europe, should a whisper transpire, that the state of England could be influenced at the will and pleasure of the despot of France. With all this consciousness about him, be will not neglea the earliest opportunity to declare our real situation. The Fiasr CONSUL influences us nosy, because we are in a state of uncertainty. We kr.uso not whether to consider him a friend or an enemy. (hay redact our case to a certainty and his in fluence is nn more. As freemen, we may be, if at peace, is different to his friendship, bat we 441, if enemies, be ardent in our resentment. But though the Minister does not afford ground to form an idea of the nature of his promised commu nication, public rumour, public feeling, and private intelligence, amply supply the deficiency. It was reported, yesterday, that the FIRST Cuateut. has re jefted our nhiniatunt. This, however, we do not believe, for the reasons which we have already stated. Private accounts, upon, which we have reason to place Much greater reliance, state that things are not yet ripe in France for that issue. Thy mercantile and the monied interests are yet adverse to hostilities. Much of tir.?. Dutch, French, and Sdanish property, pent up in the Colonies during the war, has not yet found its way home. It is computed, that upwards of 12 millions sterling of French, and ti millions of Dutch property, are now afloat, all which would be swept by a declaration of war into the ports of England. Let these treasures reach their destination, and the mercantile clamour against war, although it may nut entirely give way, will abate its violence. We do not, however, mean to say, that it is only in the mercantile interest of France the only opposition is to be found to a re newal of war with England. In the present en slaved state of the French press, it cannot be consi dered as any thing but a mere engine of Govern ment. Like every other good, when abused, it an swers an end contrary to that of its origin:A destina tion. Notwithstanding, however, this silence of the press, we learn that Luc leN BONA PARTE has spoken decidedly for peace in the Senate ; that he has declared it essential to the interests of the Go vernment and of the country ; and that no man could be the friend of either, who did not exert himself to the utmost to maintain it. We do there fore believe, that independent of the mercantile inte rest, there is at present a very strong political party in France adverse to a war with England. " The 3 per Cents. left off yesterday at (3:. They were at 61 some part of the morning, which was half per Cent. higher than at the opening. The impression of Friday, therefore, continues to operate. Yesterday we received French papers to the 281.11 inclusive. An article from Marseilles, inserted in the Aloni lair, confirms the evacuation of Alexandria,and com municates what may be considered as an important faet, that an Ambassador from the BEY S to our Court had embarked on board the British squadron. This circumstance will, no doubt, be exaggerated by the French Minister at Constantinople as a subjed of great alarm and jealousy to the PoRTE, with re spea to the future designs of our Government upon Egypt. It seems that General STUART, before his departure from Alexandria, stripped the fortifi cations of all the brass cannon and artillery, which were conveyed on board the squadron. The French and Russian Ministers at Vienna have rzceivcd an official assurance, that his lm FE HI A L MAJESTY'S ratification of the general recess will be speedily announced. The French Five per Cents are at 53 3-10ths. The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER was in the House of Lords yesterday evening, near the throne, during the whole of the conversation on the subjed of Lord CL IF TON'S notice. Yesterday the dispatches by the Atergavenny were finally closed at the East-India House, and delivered to the Purser. A Court of Common Council will be holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall, London, to-morrow, to receive a Report from the Committee of City Lands, relative to the office of Secondary, and on other business. Letters from Leghorn, dated the 13th ult., state, that the hopes of peace, and the reports of war, succee:l each other in turns with incredible rapidity. The English families settled in that city have seve ral times embarked and disembarked their effe6ts. An English frigate, which was cruiiing off that port, has caused all the English vessels to leave it, and to anchor in the road. The same letters add, that a few days before, a French garrison had taken the place of the Tuscan garrison, in the fort of Saint Mark. It is said that a Loan will be proposed in a few days. Report states the amount to be FIFTEEN MILLIONS It is understood that Lord GRENVILLE means to attack the Financial Statement made by the Minis ter in December last before the House Com mons.—The general statement alluded to, is, we believe, tolerably wire& but some inaccuracies are supposed to have crept into it. A new Table of Rates, by which the Fares of Watermen are regulated, has been at length made out by the Court of Aldermen, under the authority of four Members of the Pi ivy Council, and began to take place this day. All persons hiring boats will now know what they are to pay ; and IVatermen can no longer, with impunity, refuse to take a fare when called upon ; because they are obliged, under a penalty of 40s. to carry, in their hats, badges containing the number of their boats. A letter received at Portsmouth, from an officer of the Gaugcs,• states, " that the French troops at St. Domingo Are extremely reduced by sickness ; and all tile sick that were in the Hospjtal at Cape Nicola Mole were put to death by the Brigands. 'Their men of war and merchantmen ate nearly un- Manned, and nothing but a fresh force from France will preserve the Island. The Ganges has sprung a leak in her bows, and is expelled home in conse quence ; otherwise she must be hove down. The squadron in general are very healthy. Captain R.\v is promoted from the Racoon, to the i St. Margaritta.--llied, Mr. Gns.ur, Purser of the Goliath." korei AclDimr. SOU LRSET- ROOS& No. 11. The resent Exhibition is certainly superior to that of last year; but he who, from the motto pre fixed to the catalogue, should conclude to the adop tion of a superior principle in the choice of subjects and of style, would find himself egregiously mis taken : Portrait and Landscape, domestic and ru ral scenery, continue the order of the day, and there is just enough of History admitted to show that if it he tolerated it is not approved of by the ultiniate judge of art—the public taste. The President may be said to have not exhibited, for the Sleeping Cupid which he has suffered to apt pear, cannot make up for the absence of larger works, or even supply the place of the picture which a late verdia of the Council has deprived of public admi ration. The principal Historical Subjeas of any size or consequence are, the Achilles and Alen:iron of Fusel.*; the Juliet and Hanel a of OPIE; the ' Moses in the ull-rushes of Wriaxaai.; and the Venus, of PEI. LEG RIN 1.--NORTHC/STE has attempt ed to improve a well-known conceit of Wei lA°, in the allegory of an infant Christ as a Shepherd tend: ing his Flock, and contemplating the apper?ton of a Cross; and if he be inferior to the Spaniard in what relates to art, he certainly excels him in pi my. Of Portrait, the rburloar, by LAWRENCE, for stem characteristic, energy, comprehension, and equality of execution, leads the van; and it is, perhaps, a question whether a better portrait in every essential requisite, has ever been produced by the masters of any school on this or that side of the Alps : the Mackintosh of OPIE, and the Godwin of NORTH% COTE, restless enquiry and ineffectual meditation are nearly persOnified ; though both faces h tinged by complexions rather the Artist's than their own. The females of Law !MSC!: sometimes breathe. sometimes affca ideal elegance, and in Lady C. Campbell there is an attempt of uniting the goddess with the belle • but in Miss Lambe the "grata pro tervitas" of I - ioa ace has been rendered with a fe licity seldom attained by art. HoPeNER's Lady Grenville interests with unas suming grace; this young lady, or child with the dog, reminds us of the magic which enehants the in fant subjeas of the late President ; but all the but terflies of summer would fail to gise the air of Psyche to the substantial charms of the lady with the beauty-box. With regard to the prevailing principle of colour, however different the masters and the method, there appears, with the exception of one or two, a general Sliogobia, and a settled conspiracy of changing flesh to metal or to marble, especially in women and children, by reflexes so violent and po sitive that some necks have gained wens, and some bodies ulcers, and the figures want little of statues but their correCtness. The produaions of TURNER have sometimes the comprehension, often the inequalities, but always the impetuosity of genius, as they have frequently the best methods but always the tricks of art. (To be continued.) The person who regulates the Library of Lord 'WHIT wo tiT H, was, according to report, sent for yesterday, to Dorset-house, to examine the books, and prepare the Library for his Lordship. He was assured at the time in which he was so engaged, that Lord WHITWORTH and the Duchess of DORSET, were expeeed to leave Paris on Sunday next. We state this as we received it, exaEtly as a report. Letters from the Hague of the 19th April, say, the small English squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral Tito RNBOROUG H, is now cruizing near the Texel. Another, which is cruizing betwe Dunkirk and the mouth of the Meuse, is seen almost every day.—The latter is the largest. The number of English ships stationed off our coast may be es. timated at about thirty of all sizes. The French troops now occupy all the garrisons for which they were destined. • The Dutch Government has contraditled in the Dutch Gazettes the news inserted in the Leyden Ga zette, that some corps of the Dutch troops at the Cape had evinced a disposition to enter into the ser vice of England. The affair of the Indemnities has at length been finally settled. On the 24th ult. intelligence was re ceived at Strasburgh, of the arrival of the EMrE aou's Ratification at Ratisbon. The Moniteur gives the following extrad of a letter from Canton, of the 26th of Nov. 1802 The unprofitable voyages of the European ships in the present season, must be attributed, in a great measure, to the interior troubles of this country. It appears that the Government of China is at the eve of some great revolution ! There have lately been some formidable in,urreitions not distant more than three days journey from Canton. The troops of the EMPEROR have sustained several defeat; and the insurgents are increasing in their numbers. The people are said to entertain the notion of restoring the ancient race of Emperors of China l" A Morning Paper of yesterday says, it has made enquiry, and finds, that “ the Navy is in a state that affords room for alarm. Never was there known such a want of every thing that belongs to the out of ships. The arsenals have been left wholly unprovided with stores. There is a want of timber, which, in case of a war, would be severely felt. The consequence of the penury of all sorts of materials will be a vast additional expence, as well AS the occasion of much delay in our armaments. It is a fitEt, that many of the ships that have been put in commission have nothing on board that they ought to have, and for want of necessary stores, workmen, Etc. c.mnot be ready for a long time. On board of many of the ships commissioned, there are :carte any men at all. It is likewise the subjea of complaint that so few ships of war are upon the stocks." The lei:, of 50 guns, Capt. LOBB, which arrived at Portsmouth, on the 29th ult. fell in with his Majesty's ship Utrecht, Capt. Rooms, on Wednes day evening, and immediately Rear-Admiral THORNROROUG Ft shifted his flag from the his to that ship. The his soon after parted company, leaving off Gorce the following ships : Rear Aim. Thornhorougn Utrecht Capt. Thomas Rogers Africain 44 ---Manby Leda 38 --- Hunevnian Hydra .38 Mundy Ambuscade Atkins Cunstatice 24 Griffiths And twu revenue cutters. .....i.....