The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1805-03-13 00:00:00

M dis• and arded Ike to the Woad as to Er modificatior., t' • .•uld be deemed necessary . .•,e Committee, and adopt light he enn l64 " 0, if the Corhtni: hall 4 1 . 11 it proper and ne "scary so to dn. M r. COKE PLUM Ft , plained. Mr. COKE (tl•I'oik) said, notwi thstandin g the Firuments he he' ' eard urged by the Right Hon. ntleman, his o lp;.ction to this tax sti ll remained the to He was perfeetly convinced the operation of would be to take away all inclination to agri• ltural improvements. There were at this mo t fearer horses employed than when the 14,t co ok place, and there could not be a doubt u t that, from this additional tax, the number would continue to decrease, which must of course prove an injury to the general interests of agriculture. It would prevent the bringing of matte from any considerable distance, and render the carriage of every kind of manure more difficult and tedious, from the decrease in the number ot horses. He was thoroughly satisfied, that if the tax took place, the same quantity of corn would not be grown u had Kenheretofore, which Must prove highly injurious r the conntry, and contribute to enhance the price et bread. It o as, be said, an old, and he believed, a true s aying, that when poverty once get , into the stable, it will not be long before it makes its way i n to the house. He warned the Right Hon. Gen thman, that the farmers might be indttced, in many Flaw, to s ubstitute oxen to perform the otlices of aericulture. In every part of a country like this, t ire would always be a prevalence of local pre judices —he could volsh they were not so com mun. In Norfolk, where farming w as carried to a great deg ree of nicety, he believed there was no such thing known as the use of oxen in husbandry. but it was otherwise in many other counties, and m ight be brought into far more general use in those counties where there was more grazing land. If the farmer did not receive a fair remuneration, there could be no doubt his coin would grow less. From all these considerations, therefore, he should ter. sandy vote against the Motion. Sir W. W. WYNNE said, the argument of the Right Hon. Gentleman had not altered his opinion in the least. It was neither more nor less than a tit on improvements. One farmer may do better nada it thin another, and he insisted that in grai, ing farms a great deal may be done by oxen. In mountainous countries the tar would fall very heavy. (.1 laugh.) Fie hoped also there would be an al lowance made of horses under a certain sire.— r The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in explanation, said, that all horses under thirteen hands are already excepted now, and there was no alteration made by this Bill. The same was to be said as to the alteration of farms of a certain size, which would be an object of consideration in the not . B the mu/ with o the ?titled ! upon :11 or err?, [ i t r_ !"7 I :, • (0,4 uutr t: la ices re.rs Wl,, but .wer 1 the aril IN.ve iu~ C pot find e as iow nun h t be Pot ( It to . - q** 4 s •P- cad& • di Committel. Mr. FOX considered this as a tax on land, and 'should therefore objeft to it generally ; but more particularly so, as halting heavier on arable than grazing land; and still more, as coming with a greater prissure os3 small than large Gnus. It ap pt eyed to him to be a severe tax on agriculture, and as etch he could not agree to it. Mr. HANBIT Y WILLIAMS considered the tax not only as very :impolitic, but as highly op -1r e‘ive also, eattictibuly tan ilarall arable farms. ki * Cornwall and Wales, farmers were obliged to use a ctrtain number of horses, :ma if compelled to cur tail that number, it must of course decrease agri culture. Mr. DICKENS spoke shortly against the Motion. Mr. GILES opposed it as immediately pressing hard on agriculture. and will not soon fail to fall on consumer. He had, however, one objedion to the ta: entirely, and that was, a hreach of faith with the farmers. They were only to be taxed three-fourths of their rents, which was an estimation of his profits, and you cannot lay a direct tax on the profits of the fatmer without making an alteration in his property tax ; for if you lay a tat on him, you diminish his profits, which cannot he done without a breach of faith. He therefore objected to the Motion. Mr. CANNING contended that the arguments of the Honourable Gentleman who spoke last, prov. ed ton much, and therefore ought ant to weigh in the consideration of a measure of this nature. 'Mr. GREY said that, with regard to the opera tion of the Bill, he agreed with all his Honourable Friends, that a more injurious tax could not be pro. posed. If we are to bear additional burdens, that cannot be done without attending to the principal resources of the country. He was doubtful as to the real policy of the Corn Bill, but sure be was, in Isis own mind. that the less Parliament interfered in matters of that kind the better. In every view of it, be thought there could not he a more impolitic tat than the present, for it would operate al a dis c suragement to agriculture, and consequently prove highly injurious to the country. The ATTORNZY GENERAL spoke in fa vour of the Bill, and denied the. force of Mr. Giles's argument, as to breach of faith with the farm ers, as it could not be supported without allowing the farmers to bee:envied from every tax, but the Property I'ax. Sir R. BUXTON said the Right Hon. Gentle man had supposed that 31)0,0001. on Horses would tall lightly on the farmers; he thought that it would be quite the reverse, and was sure they would be greatly injured by this. He was very arerse from opposing taxes when necessary to he raised, as was the case at preteat ; but he could not avoid it when CI-% were laid on one particular class of' petsons •re than another. He conceived this to be a direct tk on a;' ulttire, a heavy burthen on the lan ded Interest, mind therefore must oppose the Motion. stir. BAS EARD said he thought the farmers had been singled wit in this tax, and that the 'object of it was to operate by a side wind, as a land tax, which wag a direa injury to the landed interest. If the farmer Was to be remunerated for this tax by 'seeing the price of bread, he should objea to it as *di tea tax on the poorer orders of the people. It might, perhaps, add I 000 men to our army, for when persona were very poor, they must enlist; but he would never be an advocate for raising men in any such way. He should therefore vote against the Motion. Mr. FULLER spoke shortly against the Bill. Mg . SPENCER S TANHOPE objected to the tar.* on account of its unequal pressure. Land in light country was easier worked than it was Et • •-e . of a heavier soil. The farmer in one can .0- with one half the horses he can its another. The injury of small farms, which must be a consequence of this tax, would materially afieft the sustenance of the people ; for it was in the power of the large farmers to withhold their produce from coming to market, which must consequently raise the price of provisions of every kind : he was therefore against the Motion. Mr. HUSICISSON spoke shortly in favour of the Bill—and Mr. FELLOWES against it. Mr. BAKER thought that though the tax did not fall either on the consumers, or the small farmers. yet it certainly was exceptionable. The question being called for, the House divided, when there appeared for the motion, 73—Against it, 76—Majority against the Minister, 3. The order of the day for the third reading of the Salt Duty Bill being moved ; The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it was his intention to propose an alter ation in this tax with respea to Scotland, as he had been assured the quality of the salt used there was much inferior, and consequently a greater quantity of it was necessary for the purpose of curing than of that used in England ; but if, on inquiry, it should be found otherwise, he hoped he should not be barred from laying on the tax. Mr. KINNAIRD was happy he was prevented from bringing forward his motion for an amer.d ment, with respeift to Scotland, by the Right lion. Gentleman's stating his intention of making an al teration.. Sir WILLIAM YOUNG said, it w is a tax prin cipally bearing on the lower orders of people ; and then entered into a statement of the different quan tities of salt necessary for curing hogs of different weights, urging strongly, that the bacon-hog salted by the poor man, took much more salt than that which would be cured for a gentleman's table. Sit ROBERT BUXTON said, the same reason which made him vote against the.last tax, namely, that it was not on general consumption, made him vote for this, as be thought it was an equitable tax. Mr. C. W, WYNNE said, the same reason which made him vote against the last tax, made him also vote against this, as it was a tax on the poor, who used much more salt than the rich. Mr. EGERTON wished to know, whether it were the intention of the Minister, at that time. to alter the tax with respea to Scotland, and what that alteration would be ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, what he meant was, that the Salt Duties should be augmeated, with respeet to Scotland, in the same proportion as they now bore to the halt Duties in England. Mr. ROSE thought the consamption amongst the poor was ifot so great as amongst the rich, and entered into a proof of the advantages derived from drawbacks. Mr. JOHNSTONE said, the poor must neces sarily use more salt, on account of their living prin cipally on vegetable food. He thought the Hon. Gentleman who spoke before him had mistaken drawbacks for bounties, and concluded by saying it was not on account of the quality of the salt used in Scotland, but because the people were not able to pay so 'nigh a duty, that the Minister had pro posed to lighten the tax. Mr. ROSY. rose to explain, and also to entreat the liberty of the House to turn aside charges of mistakes and mis-statements which bad been im puted to him (a cry of order from the opposite aide): he was allowed to proceed s and argued more fully in favour of the advantages of drawbacks. Mr. JOHNSTON t explained. The SECRr.TARY at WAR entered into a cal culation of the different duties on salt paid by Scot land and England since the commencement of the tax. Mr. DJ N DAS understood, that since the Union, down to 1748, the taxes on salt, in England and Scotland, bore a proportion to each other : in that year, he said, an additioa of five shillings was laid on the kingdom at large ; but that it was found to he so unfair a duty, that in the year after it was lowered with respell to Scotland. The House then divided — For the 3d reading, 92—Against it, 54—Maj. 38. When strangers were again admitted to the gal lery, an amendment was agreed to, and added AS a rider to the Bill, allowing a draw-back of two shillings, upon alt coaise salt exported from Scot land. The Bill was then passed. The Committee on the Royal Marine Mutiny Bill WAS appointed for Friday next. The Committee on the Expiring Laws Bill was ordered for to.anorrow. as also the Committee on the Sugar Drawback Bill. PROPERTY TAX. Upon the SPEAKER putting the question for the third reading of the Property Tax Bill ; Mr. FOX rose to oppose this Bill, and observed, that it ought to be limited to a certain period, and it also should be ascertained at what time that tax should be levied ; hut if any extraordinary circum stances should occur, and Ministers were allowed to encrease this tax at pleasure ; they might go on, and so by degrees, push the tax to such All extent, as to cause an entire change of property. He did not mean to take the sense of the House upon this Question, he only considered it as a war tax, to which there should he some limitation. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in answer, protested strongly against the observa tions of the Hon. Gentleman : at a time like the present, and at the commence ment of a war, he contended, that His Majesty's Ministers should not be tied up, so as to limit their resources in any way whatever. Earl TEMPLE then proposed a Clause for the exemption of Subaltern Officers in the Army from the payment of this tax. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER differed from the Noble Earl upon the principle of any Clause which went to exempt particular persons from the payment of this duty, as it tended to de stroy th. effed of the Bill ; but, above all, he con sidered this the very worst method of making AO allowance to persons of that description. Earl TEMPLE, in explanation, declared, that if there were any hopes of an increase of allowance to such Gentlemen , he should, with pleasure, put the clause into his pocket, and say no more upon the sul,jeet. The motion for bringing up the clause being put and negatived, the Bill was then read a third time and passed.—Adjourned. INDIA. ----- Yesterday morning, soon after breakfast, His M A. JEST*, attended by his Equerries, rode on horseback from Windsor to Kew, where His MAJESTY dined. At three o'clock His MAJESTY left that place in his travelling carriage, and arrived at the QUEEN'S House about four o'clock, attended by his German footmen on horseback. Her MAJZSTY and the Pa iscesscs arrived at the Queen's House from Windsor about twelve o'clock. in a short time after they were visited by the Prin cess SOPHIA of GLOUCESTER. ' Their MAJESTIES, the PRINCESSES, and the Roy AL DUKES, honoured Covent-Garden Theatre with their presence last night. Mr. sa r : o's Subscription Concerts will com mence oo Monday next, at Mrs. METOUEWS, I[l Grosvenor-street. There was a report prevailed yesterday of the death of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT : the extent of its circulation is astonishing, considering it had net the least foundation. In consequence of the dispatches brought by Mr. Daewoo, a Privy Council was held on Monday at one o'clock, at Lord Mu toa ''''' ' Office, which was very numerously attended. Count Woloszow, the Russian Ambassador, attended the Council. The contents of tne dispatches detained the Council till four o'clock in their sitting. Extra& of A Letter from Calcutta, dated Septem- ber sr, 11104 We have advice to-day that the Mortar man of -.. war, Admiral Littoss, with two frigates, are en the Bay. and have captured the Princess Chertotte, Captain Loa AN. We have also accounts of the capture, by Succor', in a cutter, of the Sterling Castle, and the Byranegore, two fin t coantry ships; His Majesty's ship C. •clarion, of .50 guns, engaged the Marengo and the two frigates, and had only nine men wounded." On Saturday last died Joseph Num Esq. in the 70th year of his age. He was returning to town from Oxford, and had proceeded only a few miles, when some cattle passing, having tr.ghtened the horses, the coachman began flogging them, and Mr. NuT r, with his usual good nature, desired him not to be in a hurry, and instantly sat d ovn a nd ex pired. His housekeeper was in the carriage, and at fl st supposed him reclining for :est ; but as s.son as she discovered his death, she immediately drove bai k to Oztord. MADRAS COURIER, SeriErsza ?6. The Lig" Marie, Captain WWII, sailed frost Halal, fur China, and her non-arrival at her destined port had created great alarm for her safety.--A contagious and destructive malady had appeared on board, during h passage, and had, an the course of a few we er eks, destroyed neatly the whole of the ship's company, whilst the few that remained alive were, from illness and ac cumulated labour, unable to navigate the ship.— In this distressed situation, Captain Dawes had put into Amboyna ; the ship was taken possession of by the Dutch Governor, and sent to Batavia; only three of the crew survived. Br letters received from Bombay so late as the 28th of September, it appears that at that period no account whatever had been received of the Print e of Wales; so that a space of four months had elapsed since the storm, which has most probably proved fatal to her. SUPPLEMENT TO THE MADRAS CI WILDMCSD4V, ster 26, 1604. FRIER, CT OF A LETTER rants VIZAGAPATAM, DATED SEPT. 2fr, 1804. The Honourable Company's s' , ip 1 3 ,•incrtt C 5 '— late arrived at this port on the evening of the 14th. and His Majesty'. ship Centro ran, of 50 grins, Capt. Lind, anchored in the roads the following morning. At seven o'clock this morning, three suspicious vessels, a ship of the line, and two frigates, were observed in the oiling, standing in under a ptec. of sail. At eight, they spoke each other, Sand gave us reason to believe they were an enemy. The weather-most of the two frigates then hoisted French colours, stood close round the Pr,nn's Charis Indiaman (who struck her colours, without rarely ing or firing a gun), and commenced a fire upon the C,etssesuq, which was instantly retnrned in such a style, as drove her off in a few minutes, with a press of sail to leeward. Immediately after, a large line of battle-ship, supposed to be the Mann., Admiral Linos, of SO gem with a heavy frigate, bore down upon the Centstrioa, an I. after an engagement of about 39 minutes, the flag-ship and frigate bore eft', and stood after the other frigate, when they all came to in the offing. As soon as the smoke el—,red, we observed His Majesty's ship Centeriou, win.) bad•received damage in her rigging, was under weigh To ocenpy a posi tion e, which weald preclude the possibility of her being surrounded, where she anchoted with a spring on her cable. At half-past 11, the French line-of-battle-ship and one frigate came down from the Southward and Windward of the Centsrien, with an ap•artest determination to engage her closely; tont, to their eternal Jugrace, they opened their fire at a long and cautious distance, where the flag-ship anchored, the frigate taking up a position on the Centurion's quar ter, both keeping up a tremendous fire od His Ma jesty's ship, which continued about an hour, and was returned with that coolness and resolution, which ever mark the iirisish seaman, and which ul timately obliged the enemy to give up a contest so unequal and gl Am; to the King's ship, and to sheer off ; the Co.turim giving the large ship a raking fire as she presented her stern. In the course of the affirm, the after frigate tesTr.e down to the Indiaman, while het cons..its were en gaged, and she is now in their possession.- The Baenabp, country-ship, Capt. Watt, ran .M 'here, and, by this judicious precaution, was prevented from falling into the hands of the enemy. The Got contest lasted for half an hour, writhe second, -nearly the same length of time ; for it ap pears there was an interval for one hour and• is half. Thus did a British 50 gun ship sustain the fire, and, in fa& repulse the ntmnst efforts of a French one of SU guns. The Ceerweirei has eight men wounded, and her masts and rigging much cut. On the first appearance of the French squadron. four 12-pounders were manned at the Fort-Battery, and kept up a sharp fire, as the ships came withi reach ; a detachment of Sepoys were embarked in boats for the defence of the Hon. Company's ship, but her colours were struck before they reached her, and they were recalled. His Majesty's ship has most nobly supported the honour of fhb British lag. • The French squadron are now standing with a press of sail to the EaSt ward, and at present evince no disposition to renew the attack. • In this anion, the French squa iron, and particu larly the line-of-battle-ship, betrayed the greatest ir resolution. EXTRACT Of A LITTER, DATED 19TH INST. , T At nine o'clock yesterday evening, the French squadron changed their course to the Northward, standing up the Bay, before the wind. ['he 1n• , ..- man has been dispatched to the South-East. 'I ..e Ceara' iea has wsrped to her old anchorage.* • Captain Tisomas SURRIDGe, of the Royal Navy, arrived yesterday at the Admiralty with d spat,:hes from Vice-Admiral Rata tat, the CommamTelr-in- Chief is the Eastmlndies. Extraft of a — letter from Bombay, dated Septem ber 24, 1804 On the 2d of Sistember, the Albion and Sceptre men of war anchored in Madras Roads, from St. Helena, whithtr they had safely convoyed the Canton fleet of last season. Admit al Limon was seen by the Pot tuguese ship, Gread Para. from Lisbon (which arrived in Madras Roads, on the 12th inst.), on the 9th inst. off Point de Calk, in company with two frigates ; the Russell man of war, and some of our heavy frigates, are in that quarter, which I hope will fall in with and amuse them till our Admiral comes up, as he was to sail from Madras Road on the 15th inst. with the Trt.ind, Aleava, 'Sceptre. the Grand Pare spoke the We/agnates , t as the 22d nit. in lat. S 2 deg. S. long. 76 slog. R. all well t she had parted from the a, et off Madeira. The American ship AisneNder, Hooasors, attired in Madras Reads on the 11th ult. from the Mau ritius, which she left on thasSati August. where two of Admiral Liitois's frigates were then in port. The post is just come in from Madras wc the letters to the 15th inst. by which we learn thatAd iti the Traestp accompa n ied by the .place, had sail .. est in quest of LINOIS, leaving the Sceptre to guard Madras Roads. It seems that the Neon. C apt. Jost% on his passage hence to Madras. had bees chased by a French frigate, crif Ctykla, for 90 hie which Mout-sailed." __.,,A1111111111111111111111111111111811614"141114P. -'llll 11 a Correspondent, who signs himself " A Combed Bean ," will give his name and address, or employ a respectable Wwunan, he will never have reason to complain that he is not fairly served with this Paper. - - THE BRITC4H Pit Et LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13. The Catholic Delegatasshad an audience of Mr. PITT yesterday, at half-past twelve o'clock. He treated them with attention, but refused to present the Petit.on. The Order of the Day fur the 2d reading of the Bill imposing an additional tat upon horses used in husbandry, was negatived law night in the House of Commons. The numbers were, ayes 73, noes 76, Majority against the Bill, 3. It must be ungrate ful to a Minister to be left in a minority under any circumstances ; but no serious inference can ever be fairy drawn from a decision in so thin a House. We have the pleasure to announce the safe arrivai of the following India ships at Plymouth, on the 10th inst. under convoy of the Centurion : Etiunnia, Captain Birch; Lad Spencer, Captain Raitti Land Melville, David Scott, and Euphrates extra ships. They sailed from Madras the 22d October, ar rived at St. Helena the 31st December, and sailed from thence the 15th January. It appears from the journals and accounts brought to England by these shitY, that Admiral LINO'S% Squadron has committed further depredations upon our trade in the East Indies. The Princess Charlotte, Indiaman ; and the literllng Castle and Byransgure, two fine country ships, have been added to his list of captures. His little squadron was, however, beaten off in the roast of Vizagapatarn, by the Centurion, of 50 guns, upon the 26th of September. The particulars of the engagement, so glorious to the Centurion, are given in our subsequent columns. Intelligence had been received at Madras of the success of a detachment under Col. MARTINDACE, against a banditti of Bundellaks in the Bundelcund, without any material loss on the side of our troops. It was yesterday confidently reported, upon the authority of a private letter from India, that Hot /CAR had cut off a division of our army, consisting of upwards of 4,000 men. Prior to this unfortu nate event, it is said a regiment of cavalry revolted, and went over to liots:ae, who instantly attacked, and cut the whole of them to pieces. It is further stated, that he mutilated several officers of distinc tion, who had fallen into his hands, and sent them back to the British camp, in the most deplorable condition. Upon enquiry, we find that no official account has been received to this effect. We have received a regular series of the Moniteur, and of several other of the Paris Papers, to the 4th inst. They contain an official report hom Genzral Ernouf, at Guadaloupe, of the state of that island and Martinique, and a list of the Ent;11.11 prize., to the amount of 123, taken by the privateers of Guadaloupe, up to the '2‘2d of Sept. The report alio contains a detailed account of the attempt of the English frigate the Galatea, to retake the Lily sloop, at the Sainte*.