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r committee might agitate ; among them was the tool what was become of' Jeffrey's property , e qrs and how it should be ilispo•ed of ? Mr. LY 1 1'1J:1'0N sugg,sted that theyshould make oni ,luct to fistm.e a capital offence. M. Came & defended the cooduct of the Ad- Mr. SHERIDAN suid, he rose impressed with the saulr feeliiigs which the worthy and respect:dile Member behind I had so properly expressed. In preferring the motion of the worthy Baronet to t .at of his Hon. Friend, he was not afraid of being suspected of a wish to screen, even the highest indi. rib ih io the nation, from punishment, when lity of any injustice or nuprerion towards the bassi. The question turned upon this one fact, dol Captain Like know st to be an uninhabited jos ,„! ? He WHO sorry to hear a Gentlemen upon the opposite side, for whom lie entertained a very I,io respect, (Mr. Stephen.) particularly from a I,callection of his conduct upon late occasion, he tvi , sorry to hew. him advance a principle cull pro p.imtion which, would go to justify Captain Lake, however otheriviie intended. The Honourable (lentleruan had stated, that if be. was a Grand Juror, first premising that he had mot read the evidence, barely front having seen the island, he would find "a true bill." And if a Petty Ju ror, he would give a verdict of conviction.—What wa. This but to say, that, acting from the impulse of his feelings,aud without ally regard to the reason or justice of the case, he would precipitate. himself bi te &conduct which no one could defend? Such was the crime of Captain Lake, he had preferred feeling to reason, and pashiou to equity. There was no thing in the evidence to prove that he had sent the nasa out to death. If.he (Mr. Sheridan) believed him capable of such conduct, his horror would not be less thais that of any other man ; but, from the evidence which he held in his hand, owl from his general character, he thought it was impossible. Neither did he think that ally captain, however tyrannical, could get his officers and ship's crew to land a fellow-creature on an um. inhabited 'island. He. thought the Cominittei the preferable way. There were various questi.ms for ther consideration, among which Admiral Coch rane's conduct was cot the least. Ha concluded with repressing a hope, that it wouhs appear that Captain Lake was not guilty ; for his own sake, for the sake of sin afflicted family, and of the navy. Mr. Smelts,. explained. Admiral HAILYZY knew the island of Sombrero. which abounded io rocks, amass the elites of which plenty of fresh water was to be resod. This; with the birds eggs, also abundant on the island, was atifficieut to sustain the life of man for a length of time. Captain lismesroan was also well acquainted with Sombrero, from having been three years off its coast, and seven on that statiou. In. stat ing what he knew of it, be had no view or vindicating Captain Lake, at whose offence no man felt more indignant than he (lid. It was in the general track of the fishing vessels, and so cinch frequented by fishermen, that he was pretty sure no man left ou it at night could wave his hat at handkerchief in the maraiug, tritium( procuring assistance. Under these circumstances, he thought ft most probable that Jeffrey was now safe is America. Sir J. SIBIUGUT had heard a report, to which he did not give credit, but thought it lair to state it to the House, in 'order to afford an oppottrnity for its being distinctly contr a dicted.—He had heard that, after the report of Admiral Cochrane in this caw had been rectivtd at the Admiralty, Captain Lake had been appointed to kship. Sir R. BICKERTON gave this a positive denial. 144 answer to ali.4t had been mid respecting the man's property, it was impossible, from the rules 6f the navy, that any man could be cheated of what belonged to him. He also defended Admiral Cosh. canes condole', which proceeded on the auppositiou that Mirey lied got safe to America, as he was in formed. Mr. IL Waan spoke highly in praise of Admi-• nil Cochrane who was one of, the most excellent officers in the British service. The Admiralty at home were satisfied with his conduct, after the ex planation they had received ; and, he thought, there "ass no occasion for further inquiry into it. The ATTOIIIICY-CENEIIAL. when this qoestioo was originally agitated, thought further inquiry ne cessary. He could not agree with the Learned Geotleniati, (Mr. Stephen,) that the re would be sufficient grounds for a verdict of murder against Captain Lake. On the contrary, from the state meat of the gallant Officer, (Capt. Beresford,) the aggravation of his offence was much diminished. He could not think Captain Lake even liable to be tried fur murder, as there was neither proof of the design uu his part, nor of the murder itself actu ally being the consequence, both of which were necessary in such cases. He then entered into a defence of Admiral Cochrane 's conduct, and could see no ground for inquiry into it. Mr.Cu OWEN thought, that, fur the honour and dignity of the House, further inquiry was street:- . iry, and that evert/ kind of evidence should be hrought fully before them. He preferred an ad. dee.. to th e appointment of a Committer, and gave ::‘, l F. Burdett ce..dit for havitee firought the matter tu" - inh Hr hoped that the firmer mode would nuaiiimously adopted ; and no division would tale pldre, where the House felt no difference of opinion upou the beets themselves. lord Cocgaame spoke in so inaudible a voice that we could only collect from hito, that Admiral Cochrane, from the inconvenience attending the .‘weitibling of Courts-Martial on foreign stations, kid thought it more expedient to remove Captain like from his ship, and send him home to be tried. 14 oilibiern he understood to be a bold rock, where, li , ever, no man need die fur want of food, such o might %usual'. Oattire. He did not mean, iu say :u4 this, to defend th• cruel and berharoos action Csiitaire hike. Ile was sure Admiral Cochrane lie able to clear himself of every imputation, • cer allowed an opportunity. Things were • 1.1503 deal exageereted in this matter; which, lie did not think a Courts Martial comer r•,.: to prink!, adequately, owing to the insuffi ,,f the cu.le of Naval Laws. Ali. CANNING chimed, that the question now • x..l.itrie to the modes of proceeding. He• was NU,lre thaa, in 6;ader.ll it was improper for the House interfere, afier a decision had been given by a competent Court ; but in this instanee the whole Matter lied not been before the Court, end they were unacquainted with the unaseertained fee. of ' the life or death of the individual: He preferred an Address to a Committee s as he could not see whet the letter could do but tioine to that conclu moo at last, which the ( louse might as well do et lirit I of their own accord. After what they had heard, no man eould leave the House with his mind per fectly made up, either as to the risk run by Jeffrey, co the knowledge Captain Lake possessed retative to the situation of the island. Among the variety 'of conjectures on these points, the proper course appeared to him to be to ascertain, as early as pos sible, the true tame of the fact to which these pro babilities were directed.' If Jeffrey was saved, then he conceived no further proceeding was tiects.ar) . ; and it was no small matter, that their discicts'oits evinced the opinion of the House of Commons, on the morel profligacy of the act. • If, oo the other hand, Jeffrey was dead, then it would he to be la mented, it' no fur; her steps were taken for the sake of justice. On dime grounds . he recominended the Address, and hoped there would he no division oc casioned by pressing the original motion. Sir F. Buaverr was ready to adopt any mode that would proruote the object they all had in view; but, before sitting down, he aitthed to slier a few olowreation• on some points which hail fallen from Hen. Gentlemen on this occasion. In the opinion id' the ehip's crew, Jeffrey weskit to worse and die on the island, and they did not, is au Hon. Gentleman supposed, think that he was merely pot on shore where there was no risk. With reger.l to the man's property, it was certainly illegally taco by Captain Lake, and if they could not prosecute him for the murder, he hoped they would punish hOn iii another way, by bringing an action for the clothes, as was often done in eases of child-nealing, where the greeter offence escaped putiishment.-- It was a most atrocious act to leave a man at at! in a foreign country, and the honour of the King was implicated in protecting the lives of his subjects.— But to leave a British subject in a desert was dill more heinous, and he trusted the perpetrator of the crime would be punished, somehow or other, toe greater degree than the sentence of the Court Morital. Much had been said, and many doubts thrown out, as to the possibility of trying a men by the law of the land, after having been tried by martial law. He was of opinion, that i man rught be tried twice he this way, otherwise be might. for an offence against the law, be rescued from the law by a military court. He concluded by with. drawing his motion. - • . Mr. WRITSCCAD expressed himself shocketl at the . doctriuis laid down by an Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Siepheit); and hoped, if ever he Caine to be tried, that Hon. Gentleman would not sit among his Jury. He then moved, a That so humble Ad dress lee presented to His Majesty, praying; slat His Majesty would give immediate direction that a most minute and diligent search should be asede.in thia transaction, which was contrary 10 every mitt ciple of duty, a nd a gross violation of rimy dictate of humanity ; and that two special Cotninissioners should he appointed for the said purpose, and to report thereon,' &c. Mr. STEPIISN again explained, and was equally shocked with the Hou. Gentleman, that, after his 'Tomer eifilanation,- any Member should speak of him its such harsh terms. But even where they were ' all agreed, the Hon. Gentlemen could not do so much rioleuce to his disposition as to refrain front attacking and wounding those who, on polo]: eel matters.differrd from him in oitioion. He was ready to maintain the principle he had laid down as a lawyer and a man; and he did not conceive that he was more destitute of humanity than the Hon. (lent. or inure likely to give a hat eh verdict. He was not so ignorant as not to know that the murder must he proved, list this was not always dune by direct evidence; it was often proved by strong circonestan tial evidencee. Far instance, if an officer threw a man overboard lashed to a ben-coop, though there was so evidence of big death, yet it would be presum ed bye Jury, unison the negative was proved on the other side, notwithstanding the possihility of the man's being picked up. It was the same he main tained in the present case. The Hon. and Learned Gent. then entered into a justification of his de scription of Sombrero, and imputed the shock in the mild and benignant nsiml of Mr. Whitbread, to his roinloubting the veracity of the statement he had made. In his own little circle, he would say, he was thought as well entitled to credit as the Hon. Gentleman. The Island has the appearance he described, and though it might be rocky in the centre, and even elevated to the height of 40 feet above the level water, a high surf on its windy shore would make it fully answerable to his description, without contradiction to the statement of the lion. and Gallant Officers above him (Admiral Harvey and Captain Beresfordt. He had seen it when driven out of the tract between Tortola and St. Kitt's, and stated several circumstances which then occurred, and fixed the matter on his recollection. Under these circumstances, it would have required little casolour in the Hon. Gentleman to abstain from so much harshness, had lie not been *0 really to tear in pieces every iiiie who, either mainly or COL laterally, differed from him in opinion. Mr. WHITMAD, iu reply, said, he made no attack on the lion. and Lemited Gentleman's vera city. That MM. Gentleman, who felt so sore for himself, was not, however, so careful of abstaining from attacking the veracity of others. He had at tacked that of time Hou. Officers.—(Cries of Pio! no ! Spoke ! poke !) Sir C. HAMILTON folly corroborated what had fallen from Mr. Stephen. The island had the ap pearance stated by him when seen front II distance, though it was 40 feet above the level of the water in the interior, and completely answered the de scription of the lion. Officers, who were more near ly acquainted with its real situatioo. There were plenty of shell-fish, birds, stud eggs, on which a man might live a long time. He did not say this to exculpate Captain Lake, of whose conduct every officer in the service must he ashamed. The CuAricso.t.oß of the EILANEOUNII did not suppose that two Colonaimioners were necessary to be sent over to the West Indies, to walk over an island a mile and • half in circumference, and only half a mile long ; he there fore esti-chat to that part 1 of tke address, and thought the Adaunilty sufficient fur the inquiry. Sir J. Suit:wit %lid, he had good reason to sop pose the newspaper itecastots were authentic, se there were letters; to taws Rai fifew:Viiik. by the last packet, stating that Jeffry. was safe in that nit?. Ile wss, therefore, tbe usuriliadi to support the amearl meta. Sir C. Port thought 'further inquiry was requi site, fur the honour of the siterfaudthe coutstry.— It was out the practice or the fumy to put bleu on shore; and he begged to state this, lest sfeeh a re port should zo abroad. from what had fallen from 'tight Hod: Gent. (Mr. Mheridert.) fie snicgested that our Minister, is Ameries, ought to toquife about Jeffrey in that couutry, where he had no doubt he was. ' Mr. SHERIDAN prifessed his high regard and anxioua solicitude fur the•hotioneof the navy. He had said nothing approaching to what the Hon. Admiral imagined—doPy. that' be was afraid the sating refractory 'persons •on shore in habitable play es. was not without precedent. ". • • • • Mr. S. BOURNS supported the amendment. Mr. WHITBREAD was averse to-it, at .solemnity was required, and it was not so much the retent of the island. as the enormity of the offence th ey had to consider. O fficers mig ht be going out to the West Indies, and, therefore, no new appointment might he necessary. He repeated his insurance to Mr. Stephen; but would be glad to know • what right that Hon. Gentleman had to his political forbear ance, who wits not very sparing of him eV his friends? He did not impeach his veracity, and if any thing tom him to piecei, it would be hiwown The idea that struck hint was, that the Learn ed (;entlernan, being unlearned in naval matters, had mistaken one island for another. The jinn. Gentleman told them he had not read the eviAnsce; and it was thus in sp-aking on a subject with which he was unacquainted, that he fell into mistakes, which, being noticed, ruffled his temper. He hoped. for the sake of unanimity. the Amendment would not be premed. Mr. WiLitearoaca defended Mr. Stephen. He bad declared he had not read the evidence, and bad not spoken upon it, but merely as to one point, the state of the island, fronstisown observation. Mr. WHITIIIIIZAD then propnseA a second Ad dress, instead of the first, praying His Majesty to direct diligent sod minute inquiry, is the navy, • foreign states, &c. which, after a few woods from Mr. Croker, Mr. Ryder, Mr. Dundee, Captain Parker, Colonel Berry, Admiral Harvey, Sir C. Pule, and others, was carried, stemnie contradi effete. • Mr. Weinmati, thinking it *mild be fee the honour of Admiral Cochrane to have the matter affecting him brought to a . poiat, moved.for a third Address, praying His M ajesty to direct anlnquiry into his conduct, in the affair of Copts in Lake. The CHANCELLOR OfPle EICIIROH aa said, this would be carrying their feeling to • most extrava gant pitch. Admiral HARVEY Stated the great inconve nience that would arise from instituting an inquiry into the conduct of a Conimander-tu-Chief on • foreign station, which would bring every Captain home, to the great injury of the service. This, too, when the utmost charge that could be made, was, for bring nubs,: too lenient, he was sure, could not he pressed upon the House. Mr. WHITIIIILAD Would withdraw this motion, • ow *a rodaretandieg ;het the altdinirsity isoeld • make sufficient inquiry to satisfy the House sod the eountry. Mir. R. WARD aid, the Admiralty had olgained explanations trots Si► Alex. Cochran., 11114 were al ready satisfied that there was no occapion for further inquiry, with the view of censuring him. Lord Cocnitang, in ■ low %%lice, defended the conduct of Sir A. Cochrane, who bad 'lour all that could be Josic, short of a Court-Martial He hid removed Captain Lake from hi , ship, and seat him home to he tried. He was, however, promoted at home. Sir C. Pout spoke to the same effect. Mr. CROXER raid. that the first tafarmation hid by the Admiralty. of the transrction of Capt. Lake, was from the letter of Mr. Tuatara. From the moment they received it, they had proceeded. dey after day, in the iuquary. till they brought the matter before a Court-Martial. Mr. W. POLI was Secretary to the Admiralty at the time. Sir Alexander Cochrane did not send Captain Lake home dismissed from his ship. He returned in ill health ; and while at home was so strongly recommended, that, on his going out again to the West Indies. he was promoted, at the recommendation of the Admiralty. This was lung before they knew any thing at all of what had oc curred in the West Indies. Sir Alex. Cochrane was one of the most distinguished ',dicers in the set. cr, for humanity, as well is for zeal, activity and courage. It was perhaps an overstrained hu manity, and not a want of officers to form a Court- Martial (which he would have stated as the cause in his letter, had it been so,) that he did not bring Captain Lake to a trial iu the West Indies. Ile Lad thought the matter nut so bad as it now ap peared in this country, and, considering the youth of the offender, and his family's situation, had acted mounts I with mistaken lenity. He warned the house iwainst proceeding against offi. errs of high rank, w hen pm improper motives could possiblv he attributed to them. By so doing they would create • disgust in the service. Further explanation might, however, now be necessary, and he would vote for it, if there was any occasion. He felt acutely on this occasion. now long habits of friendship with the family of Lord Lake ; and the thought of this subject never crossed his mind, without a pang for their sufferi•:gs, aggraysted from the death of their illustrious father, by the disgrace brought on them by this unhappy youth. But it was necessary to speak nut on these occasions to *heir the country that Parliament were determined to protect the meanest aunt who served his country. Mr. W NIBTIIEAD withdrew his motion, and sub stituted in its stead, another, for the production of the Correspondence between the Lords of the Ad miralty and Sir Alexander Cochrane, on tbis sub ject. Capt. 13saasannn bore ample testimony to the gallantry and purity of Admiral Cochrane. Mr. Cools& 'aid, the Admiralty were already astittfied, and could not call again. There could be no oppootiou to thex peprrt being produced. Mr. W. PoLr, Lord COCHRANE, and Mr. K. WARD, severally explained. Lord Cut wished to be informed whether the commission Was aide out West Cs id Lake returned to the Woof Indies ? • Mr. W. Pour rigs not Certain. bat he belie* he was appoilit.d by the Admiral on the station t ... Ada-Anil bIARTir said. the nation, the mime. and the public, called for an inveitigatian into this moat mrtraordinaty Waitress; one question; which had not been answered, was. 'theater the Lords of the Admiralty were or were not is pones; sion of the circurnatairel of Jeffrey having lf►en put on shore. at the time that Copt. Lake tree ied preferment ? He war fully of opinion, that the Home might as well come to a tote at that time as any aubseci trent one. Mr. W. Puts, in explanation, said, that Captain Lake was $t out to join the sloop Recruit, after which a commission was sent to Make him post; but the Admiralty were in perfect ignorance of the subject that produced the present motion. After a few words from Lord Cochrane, Aardiral Martin, Captain Parker. and Admiral Harvey; die Address was agreed to; without a dissentmg voice. REVERSION BILL. The Itionse then reoolveditself intb a Committee On the Itevernon Bill, Mr. Dories Giddy iu the Chair. The Cissoces.tOn of the - BuasQosa moved. " That. instead- *fits being perpetnal, its termini'. lion should expire at else cud of six week* after the close of the next %Awn iif Psrlisrneat." _ Mr. BA skgl44 t t4e present Bill was famed (trendy' trout any other that had gone Ito to the Lords. on which account he trusted It smuld not only Meiely_Meet the assent of the Noble Peers, butthit* the Right Han. Gentleman would with. draw his motion. and allow the Bill to pees without a discussion throslgh that House. Mr. R. S. Dunn*, wished to know if the Clergy cam , - under the jurisdiction of the Bill ? Mr. BAKKE' said they did not. nor was it ever contemplated that they should, it ouly provided foe Reversions amongst the Laity, not Divines. The CHANCELLOII of the Excatausa witbdrat his amendment. The House resumed. and the Report woo Geo dered to be received on to-morrow. FINANCE CONSIITTEE. On the mo;;;;liiii.iiThilititlitthe Hoene re. solved itself into s Committee o►► Publ►c Expendi. tore. Mr. MARTIN said, he was agreed at present to withdraw his second resolution, as be understOsol his Honours fr iend,' SIMI" had sesame ameodments to repose, • as, without prefacing. moved , 4 That all sinecure offices, that were completely so, should be reduce;l, and those where the service or-the person holding • situation s where his services were not equal to the reward, should be also reduced."-At ...is necessary that attention to economy should be paid to every thing that concerned the state. Hs concluded by saying, that it was high time that all office*, where employment was not required, should be abolished. A desnltory conversation then took place, is which Mr. Long, Mr. Denis Browne, Mr. piles. Sir John Newport, Mr. H. Addington, Mr. berforce, Lord Archibald Hemiltoo, the Oren. eettor of the Ifacherpses. sad Mr. Peason, took pert. Leal A. 'Mania • sparaleriiartil emitter should rice. and the Chaim/ea repel taut. gress." The Committee divided, when there appeared. Ayes 37 Nees .................. Majority apinst the Wiiriormasse as After some observations from Mr. P. Mewls. the Cooncauma of the EXCIIIMOSIL. sad Lord A. HAMILTON. the House resumed, and the Chair man reported progress, and asked:leave to sit again on Friday next, which was agreed ta: Tire other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the flouse adjourned at HaLr-PAST TUNAS O'CLOCK. FOREIGN 1N TE LUG ENCE. DUTCH PAPERS. ♦IRRMA, MARCH 13. This evening, Her Majesty the Empress of the French, after taking leave of her rev red parents, set out, accompanied by ►he Archduke Charles.— The procession wart a long time passing the streets of this city. The discharge of too pieces of can non, and the ringing of all the bells, announced the clepartnre of Her Majesty. She was accomps. nied by the earnest good wishes and blessings of the populace, who crowded all the streets. Their Imperial Majesties have set ont for St. Pollen, where they will sleep this nijht, and take their last adieus of the Empress of the French. MUNI( H. MARCH 17. Her Ithjesty the Empress of the Fretbcii arr;red here this night at eight in the evening. The whole city was illuminated. Her Majesty will remelt bets the whole of to-morrow. It is understood that our King will accompany the Empress to Paris, and that the King of Wir. temberg will join the procession at Stutgard. It is said that the whole Hanoverian territory will be limited with the kingdom of Westphalia, with the exception of a district containing 13,000 souls, which will be faulted with the those-Towns. ' COMPLIGNE, MARCH 294 All the steeples, public huildieg;, an 4 private houses, were illuminated at the titne of His Imperial Majesty's arrival in this place. As coon as the Emperor arrived, he walked thee' the whole palace, and afterwards tbe Prince of Birk. maid had the honour to dine with H,. Slajestrii Their Mejesties the Queens of Holland, Naples s . and Westphalia, are arrived in this place; thrilling of Westphalia, and their Imperial Highness. the Viceroy of and his Princess, are also expecte& All possible preparations •rr, made is thi; town. awl io th. pAllice,thilv to c• kbnte the happy ao. went of the arrival the g m prow.. PARTS. %SAUCY 3. The Emperor received, several times, to the course of 11,14 cloy, trlegrsp`,te istelliaeace, relative to the Etapreer. Her M.jtsty arrivcd in Stras.