The Sun. — London, England, 1823-07-04 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT, HOUSE OF LORDS, JULY 3. A. message from the Commons brought up the Lotteries, Passage Vessels, Elective Franchise , and Unlawful Oaths ( Ireland) Bills, which were read the first time. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY 'presented a petition • from the East India Company, praying for an equalization of the duties on Sugar. The Larcenies Bill went through a Committee, and wait-re; ported without amendments. APPELLATE JURISDICTION. The Earl (if - LIVERPOOL said he hdd prepared an amend meat on theinesolutions, which he thought would obviate the objection which the Noble Lord (Ellenborough) had made.— He proposed That it should be printed, and considered on Mon day.—Agreed to. Lord ELLENBOROUGH suggested another difficulty : if he understoOd the Noble Earl's amendment, it went to fix on the first Monday of the Session the days for attendance of the whole number of Veers who would be liable to attend, which was about 20, after subtracting 90 who would be excused on the ground of age, infirmity, &e. Now he Wished to know, in the course of the Seasion how a substitute was to be found for any,Noble Lord who might have a valid excuse for non-attend. artue, as the whole number would have their 'days of attend. ance fixed at'tbe commencement of the Session. 'The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not apprehend that there would be arty difficiilti in providing for unforseen cases of ab sence in the same way as heretofore. `The Earl Of DARLINGTON suggested not meet the difficulty, if four Peers were to be summoned each day instead of three, which would allow for any casualty as affecting one. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said that had already been con indent.' ; but it was objected if that suggestion were adopted, that each would think he might be away, and so a greater in convenience would anise than was sought to be remedied.— Adjourned. -HOUSE OF COMMONS. . Mr. BANICES moved for a Select Committee to examine into the progress which had been made up to the present time in forming a general index to the journals of the House. '*lr. HUM E, as an amendment, moved an additional in 2,, struction to the Committee—That they should inquire how'far. any improvement could be made in the present method of en. grossing. Bills, with a view to facilitate the business of the H oust. Mr. BANKES said that there was no affinity between the amendment and the original motion. Mr. WYNN submitted, with a view to futurity, that the old letter in which the Bills were now written out, wits more likely' to be legible 200 years hence than the Italian band in general use at present. The ordinary writing-hand was subject to much variation ; the old letter used in the Bills .would be sub ject to no variation at all. Mr. RICARDO thought the time would hardly pme , when the common Italian hand now in use would be unintelligible. The change suggested by the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, would save considerable expence, and , very much expedite the dispatch of business. Mr. HUMP, said that if his amendment was opposed, he would withdraw it. ,The subject, however, seemed to him of so.much consequence, that he should give notice of a distinct mosion,npon it form-morrow (this day.) MANUFACTURE OF STRAW IMTS. M ACQUE EN presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of , Dunstuble, praying for a protection against the importation of foreign Strawoplut. Another Petition .to the same effect was presented from Luton, • in Bedfordshire. Lord W. RUSSELL presented It similar Petition front' 6,000 persons' at Leighton Buzzard,. in Bedfordshire, stating their distress in consequence of the importation. CLOTHING OF 'THE ARMY. *. - ISIr.:IIUME moved for a Report of the last contract entered into foi supplying the navy with. alops. His object was to re: move an impression which had got abroad, that the clothing issued to the men.waa not good enough for the price at which tt was charged. DIVISION OF THE COUNTY CORK. . Mr. GoiMBURN , moved for leave to bring in a divide the county of Cent. .:The object of the Bill was u truly Irish one.--it was to give the county five quarter-sessions in the year. This measure was brought forward with a view to expo- OWN; the trial of offenders.—Leave _given. IRELAND . " Mrr 'BROUGHAM wished to bring in a Bill to correct a defect. in the law of Ireland ; and•lt would be a great conve nience to him it'he was allowed to bring it in without formally moving for leave. Previous to the Act the 21st Geo. 11. there were various corporations in Ireland, In which,' by actual or presumptive charter,' no person could be a burgess unless he was a resident,' aid the nuMber. of Protestants resident (none but Protestants being then admissible) were so few at the date of the Act to which he alitided,!'that . the 'charters were in dim ger of being forfeited for want of assertion. To prevent that' consequence, and under those particular circumstances, the sta tete of the 21st Geo. 11. was passed, which enabled non-resi dents to he burgesses. As that Act,hOwever, ire feet abrogated every charter in Ireland, and as there 'was no longmany need of it—for Catholics were now admissible, and there were, be: sides, a su ffi cient number of resident Protestants—he (Mr. Ilroughanq wished to bring in a Bill for its repeal. The Bill would, - of course, make residency again a necessary qualifica • tau. 'lie-withed , only to .bring it in and have it printed, and then let it stand over till nextSession.—Leave given. MARRIAGE OF .ENGLISH CATHOLICS. Dr. PHILLIMORE moved , for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law with respect to the Marriages of English Roman Catholics. As the law now stood; 'Roman Catholics, after being married by a Clergyman of their own persuasion, were bound to have the ceremony again performed in a Protestant Church. To those who were scrupulous, this was an offence, anti he wished to place the Catholics of' England - upon the same fboting (as to this point) with the Catholics of Ireland. Ills idea was this,---that the bans should be published in a Protestant Church, and that afterwards, upon certificate of the bans produced, the marriage might' be solemnized by a Roman Catholic Clergy man. - Relied a further object in the Bill which he proposed bringing in : which was to make ft certificate front a Roman Catholic Priest sufficient to compel the registry of a child by a Protestant Clergyman.—Leave was given to bring in the Bill. ROM AN CAT 1 IOLIC CH A BITABLE ENDOW MENTS. Sir 11. PARNELL, in' bringing forward bitmotion on this subject, declared that theidegratied state as to--The education of the people of' Ireltuawaiiin a great measure owing'to thtroper ation of that law which prevented Roman Catholics from en dowing schools and other charities. Ile conchidcd by moving for leave to bring in a bill to enable Roman Catholics to exe cute gifts and grants for pious and charitable uses, in the same mariner as Protestant dissenters are enabled , to make gifts, grants, and legacies, for such purposes. Mr. GOULBURN would not.object to'bringing in the bill, but he thought it would not be poinble to make much progress with it in the present Session.—Leave was obtained to bring in the bill. Mr. FORBES moveil.an address to the Crown, praying that Mere be laid before Parliament a copy of the instructions given • by Lord Bathurst to Governor Bigg, on MS proceeding to as sume the Government of New *lath Wales.—Ordered. 'rice Report of the Law Merchants' Bill was recommittedo Same verbal alteratiorok , : were effected. The - House mimed, 'Ob.m - amendments woo 'ltigNed . t.o,, and the 13111 was ordered to- Is: read a third time to.morrow. . true' ,' BARON O'GRADY. _ - ticeTiiouse resolved itself 1 into a Cipromittee on the charges against the Chief 'Baron. - tts:. itßili , tnoved the fourth ItesolutiOn which'embodied the' allegationa of the Reports of the CenimAtee, andthose of the CommiasiOn respecting the alteration directed by the Chief' Baron, to take die tees. in the Exchequer in lingibM, instead of Irish currency, according t antecedent practice. • A desultory . discussion ensued, in which Mr. Canning, Capt.' O'Grady, Mr; It. Smith, Mr. thoilbitrn, Mr. Wynn.. anti the tiolicitor.General took part, and which was terminated by Mr. 16. Rice withdrawing the Resolution. The fifth Resolution was•then.put, and carried. The sixth resolution was then ronved,'which stated that the . Chief Baron had altered the practice of the Court, by directing the fees payable on decrees to be paid at the time of. Setting downilie - eauses, the consequence of . which had been that he, had received the fees - in 4711 causes, while decrees had been pro. ',v.,. • •••,.-- • __ nounced only in 344. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL proposed to qualify the statement contained In this-resolution, which was more exten sive than even theseportauthorized. That had only charged the Chief Baron with takinglarger fees than were lrgal ; but this went to accuse him of having exacted them in ,CaSeliwhere they had not existed previously. The total amount , of the fees illalcd to by this resolution did not exceed two•guineas in each term. Me suggested to his Honourable Friend (Mr. S. Rice) whether; under these circumstances, it would not be . tu Add some words to the effect that fees to a small amount bad bee n received, but without the knowledge of the Chief •Baron. After a short conversation between Mr. WETHERELL, Mr. Sarmr, and Mr. S. IttcE, the latter Gentleman agreed to omit the statement of the number of causes, and to retain that 1 :part of the resolution-which declared that the Chief Baron hadi altered - the 'make of 'the Court as to The period for per :tent of, the fees. The resolution so altered was then carried. Mr. HUME wished to know what, swsp.his Non. Primed (Mr. Rice) meant to pursue.. It would be improper, he thought, to leave these Resolutions as a dead letter upon the Journals. At the same time he thought this neither a case.for an address for a removal, or for an itnpeachment.. 'What, then, were they to do ? For his own part, although he was not prepared to jus tify the course taken by the Chieflieron, yet4re was equally unprepared to proceed to any course of ulterior severity. if the Chiefiudge of the Irish Common Pleas (who was upon this questionnf fees equally culpable) witwonortabe - called to account,fordtis - tonduct in such matters, with what justice could 'they proceed. a severe manner against Chief Baron O'Grady? He concluded by proposing a resolution ,declaratory of the course already taken by the House, and declining to proceed farther as the case now stood. . . After a few words in explanation from Mr. KRta, M. C. H. HIJTCHINSON strongly objected to the course pursued towards the Chief Baron in this case. They ought not to Imply criminality where thex had declined adopting the only course which could put the subject upon a faiihearmg, enabling the individual accused'to be heard fully in his defence. Mr. WETHERELL concurred, entirely in the .impropriety of - adopting a course which implied 'criminality, where no pre vious inculpatioAhatl been sufficiently estab lished. if a man were attacked in a criminal Court, the party prosecuting must proceed with the accusation. Why should .Varliament.adopt a Rifrerunt course ? Why should they agree te.a soitien of :reso lutions which neither pledged the House, nor any indirillual Member of-it,- to proceed one step further? The resbltitions implied criminality, and he could not seer them to. be placed on the Journals without a distinct pledge was..given that they would, without delay, be followed up. lie could not content to leave the business in the way which was now proposed. • placed the character and . conduct of the Chief Baron in.an cgtii vocal light, even *ith reference to that House; but'out of it, amongst those who had no opportunity of considering the-case, those resolutions must be viewad an crtminating the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. Mr. Secretary CANNING was of opinion that.those Gentle men who opposed the present course of proceeding took the most ofectual means of preventing their arrival at that which they stated to be their great object, namely, a plain decision of the case by the House of Commons. In his view.of thenuention the reso lutions might to be reported ; and on that report every individu al would have an opportunity of stating his opinion.. Ile thought that it, was extremely proper that the matter. contained in the reports of the Commissioners of Inquiry, as swell in the re• ports of two Committees of that Douse, should have .been brought before. a. Committee of the .whole , House, because the, charges were .in consequence reduoad to a clear and tangible shape. As the charges stood in the reports he had alluded to,'! they were so scattered. and dispersed, . that it was difficult to make a direct defence against them : bu tt he .resolutions brought the whole of the charges to one point, and the Learned lndi viand who Arcs implicated in thew proceedings was thus enabled to shape . his defence in a clear and intelligible way. The whole. - course:cf the proceedings ,of that House was in favour otthat line which had been pointed out to them by the lion. Member for Limerick ; and it was calling on them to unravel their awn web, if, havinrbrought the question to. its present shape—having placed the charges in a clear point of view, they were asked to abandon that straight-forward course they had hitherto taken. After a few words from Mr. Hu stE, Mr. CANICHIG, and Mr. WETHERELL, Captain O'GItADY shortly addressed the Committee, and expressed his anxiety to have a vote on the subject then before Parliament, convinced as he was, that 'that vote would be in perfect accordance with his own feelings. He did not blame those by whom this investigation was instituted ; hut he had to complain that this was the third year during which the charge had been; preferred ; and he begged of Gentlemen to look about them; and to ask their own hearts, whether such a House as was now• assembled was a fit one in which to decide this question ? He should be sorry that the Resolutions should be lost in so thin a Hottstrusthat. Let the question be brought forward in a full HOUsei anti let the conduct of the Chief Baron be fairly investigated. , flevas convinced that if due consider:. ation were given to the subject, and given to it by such a Houstt as be had alluded to, every shadow of imputation .would .be re moved from his character. It was most unlit that, year after year,' imputations should be left hanging over the character of the Chief Baron of Ireland ; and therefore he was anxious for in.: vestigation as to the plain question of guilty or not guilty ; beingTerfectly assured that the-verdict fur lino would be a most triumphant one. Mr. LOCKHART , was of opinion, , that when ,the noose took up matters of this kind.; they ought to ,prueeed to their immediate determination. 'They , were not rupholding their character for jillitiCe'hy entertaininiuthe samercharges'year after year. Mr-a". WILSON' said, if•the report of the resolutions were received, it would, in his opinion, be necessary that the house should express some opinion on those. resolutions. Mr. S.RICH defended the course he had pursued. After a few words from Mr. RicAttoh, the Clf At tt MAW said he thought it was too late to propose the resolutions sug , gested by the Hon. Membet(Mr. Hume), in concurrence with those which had been , already voted. The Hon. Member's re solutions, however, might be moved as an amendment. After a few words from Mr. WETHERELL and Mr. CAN ?awl, the House resumed. The CHAIRMAN reported the original resolutions;ul the report , was ordered to be received on Alonday next. The Insolvent Debtorti` Bill was then discussed in a Com. mittee of the whole House. After some conversation between Mr. R. Smith, Mr. Bright, the Solicitor-General, Mr. T. Wil son, Mr. Lockhart, Mr. Hume, the Attorney-General, and Mr. W. Courtenay, the several clauses of the Bill were agreed to ; the House resumed, and the Report was ordered , to- be received to4norrow. EAST INDIA TRADE BILL. On the motion of Mr. ,C. W. 'WY NN, that the Itottsedo re; solve itself into a Cormnittee for further considering the report of this Bill, Mr. BRIGHT 4Thjerxd to the Bill. It ought, he observed, to•have been brought in at an earlier period of the Session.— If.the Bill were panned, it would have the etnet of opening the trade in opium, , so as to allow its importation to the West Indies, than which nothing could be more destructive to those Colonies. The.Hon.-Tilember then went on to object to other parts of the Bill, and said he could not consent.to .its 'further progress. Mr. T. COURTENAY defended the Bill. Mr. ROBEIt'rSON did not object to going Into the Com mittee; but pointed out several defects in the present column cial intercourse with India, and the.system 'tarried on in our Engem Colonies. WIGRAM supported the bill. Mr. C. NV. WYNN defended the bill, and said that it was no objection to it that opium might be introduced to the West Indies; for, even if this bill didnet-pass, opium might be in-' troduced to the West Indies front this country at the ptesent day. After re few words from Mr. Fountain support of the melt: sure, and from Mr. T. VV,H.soikt; who complained that a part of the bill would be injurious to the Shipping interest of this country, the House went into the Committee. , . • Several clauses were then agreed to without discussion.— Some verbal amendments were .matle in others ; and after some discussion carried on between Messrs. AsTELL, Ito. ItTSON, T. P. COURT EN AY, and FORBES, the House re sumed, and the Report was ordered 10 be received this day (Friday). The other Orders of the Day wercthen disposed of, and the House adjourned at ll.a.t.far.taT Two .o'CLoctc. PO Pratt NEW Curl it cit.—The ,Consecration of the New Church of the Parish of All saints, Poplar, and the adjoining burial.ground, took place yesterday, when the Bishop of Losinow presided on the occasion. The new building itof considerable elegance, and will accommodate about 1500 per sons. The Lord Bishop of LoamosT arrived at the northern entrance of received with the greatest respect by thousands of spectators,, tbe Church-yard et half-past 11 o'c lock, and was who had assembled to witness.the•ceremony, and in the ^ ll9 Put that some Members 'of the Royal Family would be present**, Ills Lordship on his artful joined the procession, which ad vanced to the Church. The Church service havins been con. eluded, the burial-gretintle svere.perambulated. Ms Lordship retired to a tent prepared for his .reception, and the Procter having presented.the deeds of .rt•twoyance,. he signed.und pro mulgated the sentence of consecration, and commanded it to be recorded in his registry. The Children then aang the sth, fish, and 7th verses of the ;kith Psalm, accompanied by an ex cellent. band of music. God rave Me King. followed, and the other national air, Reid Britannia, concluded the ceremony. The Gentletnen who formed the procession then adjourned to the Rectory, and partook of refreshment. The health of the Kilt° was proposed, and . the spectators joined rapturously in the cheers. DUEL.—Early yesterday morning an affair of honour took place at ‘‘ orinwood Scrubby, tween a 'MN HAYCHOFT and a Mr. Smtnt ; the latter was slightly wounded in the right arm. The dispute originated from a reflection Mr. S. had made on the character of the Lady of Mr. R. PARIS PAPERS. [Front the Illonitrnr of Tuesday, Julyl4 (oriolcw. ARMY OF THIil PYRENEES. BULLETIN. " Iris Royal Highness has just been informed. that the vanguard of Count Bordesoult was on, the 18th at Utrere. Ile arrived there -him self on the 2lst. The rapidity j of 'his move ment, combined. with that of Count Bourmont, hindered the project which Lopez Banos had formal, :oti arriving at Seville with 3 or 44.,p00 men, to join Villa Campa, and proceed to Cadiz. For this purpose Villa Campa had already his cavalry at Utrera, on the arrival of our vanguard ; but on our approach `he retreated to Runde, where he lies j beets abandoned by his whole troop, part of which have joined Count44erde sOult. Lopez Banos ut the same time evacuated Seville on the 18th, in the morning, taking the j direction of Buehle, where he thought'to embark for Cadiz ; but Count Bordesoult being•informed of his movement, pushed, on the 19th, his van guard, commanded by General Lauriston, to San Lucar-leZlajos, where it came up with the enemy's rear, took 350 prisoners, 22 of whom are Officers, one a Brigadier-General, 400 horses, 1-10 .carriages. General Lauriston pushed him about two leagues ; and we may believe that, but for the fatigue of our horses, which had just marched eight Spanish leagues, he would have caused the enemy still greater losses." (Then follow IlieJ,;inunes of some officers who distinguished themselves). 44 We had 'some men wounded, but none dan gerously. 44 General Valli') 'having joined General Lan riston, has continued to pursue the enemy . ; and on the 23d he sent word that the cavalry of• Lopez Banos had thrown itself into the moun taiiir to gain Badajoz, 'and that he hopes to de strorthe -rest of his column before it 'reaches Huebla. 'General Bourmont, after +saving given the troops some days' rest at Seville, and having learned the result 'of the expedition of General Vein'', will rejoin Count 'Bordesoult, whose van guard was at Xeres .on the .21st, and who would himself arrive before Cadiz on the•23d. " All the reports agree that that place, as well as the-Isle of Leon, are destitute of subsistence ; that the greatest confusion reigns among the re volutionarparmy, 7 or 8,000 men of which have taken refuge there ; and that no preparations for defence were made. 44 When Lopez Banes appeared before Seville, the inhabitants resisted ; but that General haying a pretty considerable force and artillery,. ; forced the entrance-: there were-some killed and wounded on _both sides. Ile had imposed a heavy' contribution on the city ; but he had only time to carry off 200,000 francs, and a , quantity of clothing and shoes, of which hiskteoops were in the greatest went; , " Count Bordesoult announces to his. Royal Highness, that the inhabitants of the country which he has just passed through, are animated with She -same enthusiasm as those of the rest of that teputies (rein the mountains of Bonda have comae to hire to declare, that the authority. of the King shall he Immediately recognized there, and that the inhabitants are going tir take firms to repulse all parties of the enemy. " llallasteros, after having sent three batta lions to Alicant, c has gone with the rest .of his troops .to the-kingdom of Murcia. Ile is Closely persued by the second corps. , ", His Serene flightless the •Prince of Hohen— lobe reports to Isis Royal Highness, that on the 19th, at four in the Morning, the garrison of St.!, Sebastian kept Up such a brisk fire from all the batteries, that there 'was every reason to believe' that it waited only till it shodhl have demolished our pallisades, and caused diserder in ,our ranks, to make a vigorous sally ; hut the attitude of our troops such, that the enemy did nothing inure than cannonade , for afcouple of hours the in Was , suburb Of St. Martin, Where two select companies of the'sth light regiment and 17th of the li n e gave striking proofs of their courage. We lost co body, but we had five wounded. Major-G'en. Schaeffer, commanding.the blockade, whose dis positions on this occaSiou cannot be too highly particularly .(names of officers), a P t r i a d is . e o d iso l meit calrirnbisneers Hoitienu and Maid, who, though both dangerously wounded, did not cease to.give proofs of their courage, and suffered am putation, crying 4 Vivo le " Ileadivarters, Madrid, June 25,'1823. " By order of his -G Royaifliglatesti the Major-General Connt UI - UM I NOT." [The oatieur ecintains else a Royal Ordinance of the 27th af June, appointing Prefects to sittcen Departments:l • [ From the Qxotidienne4 PA RI3 , Jert . y 1„.....ft is now very certain that the counter. revoluti on i s e ff ec ted iti Portugal, but we have net yet sail dent details re s pectin i the events which, accompanied it , to judge of c auses an d e ects. In the narrative transmitted to us in the klugliA l j our nals,' we see at least in , words,_ , certain con cessions whi c h h ave a ffl icted the Royalists, and which they would Wish to efface from the annals of Royalty. is it not evident, as .we said some days since, that the jealous:Deity de. sires to reserve to himself alone the care of reforming the world, and that the present progress of imman.affairs is like a prodigy. which is unceasingly renewed, and which rises far above all human fragilities ? ()cid has, willed that Mite earth should be drawn attecond time front chaos and all that has passed near us, and at di s t ance f ront u s, is like another creation of the world, in'which we ought to see nothing but divine will. Purc JUNE 20.—A traveller, who has arrived from 'Barcelona, states , th a t that City is still in the greatest agita don t and that the Co n stitutionalists/have encamped at the vil lage of Ortha, one hour's distance. It is stated, that if the arrangements of a French Colonel had been seconded by the Baron d'Eroles, ne ith er Mi na n or any of his troops could have succeeded In reachi ng U rge l. ' JUNE 22.-1 : 0- day 2,000 French , a nd the battalion of Ito magosa, setout fron t h ence; they are marching towards La Seu with 3,000 others , who were at Belver with the Baron d'Eroles; they intend to blockade and besiege La Sou. UTRONA, JUNE 25—mina g one towards Lerida. The Marshal Moncey havi ng . received trio reinforcetnee.ta which he expected, is about to march with all his army on Barcelona, which will be invesuslon.the4th or 7th of July.--( Journal des Debate.) M. Le Marechal de Lauriston,as we have already announced, takes his departure this week for Bayonne. It issaid-even that lie will leave Paris within two days. During his absence the business of the 'Annie yr of the household a his Majesty will be administered by the Viscount de Semmes ; the Ordinances will be -countersig ne d by the President of the Council.--(La Quoadiennef) A Toulouse Journal states that Portugal, after abolishing the Constitution o f th e C ortes , has adopted without effusion of blood, that of England,—(lbid.) Count Abisbal arrived at Limoges on the 2'ld of June, and hired wresidence in one of the faubourgs of that town.--1/bid. Our 'Private Correspondence mentions the entrance into the port of Barcelona of an English vessel, from which M. San Altguel, late Minister otState at Madrid, disembarked, in or der, it is said, to take .the military command of that place.— (Le Constitutknnel.) RECIPROCITY OF DUTIES. TO THE EDITOR OF. THE SUN. Thursday, July 3, 1823. Sitt—A. letter ou,lbe r .ebove subject, signed J. IL, having appeered 'in "e columns of the; .Nero Times oT Tuesday laSti,Pl was induced to., enclose-to thi: ~ Editor of that Paper the accom-' ploy reply, trusting to his impartial candour for its fair insertion or absolute rejection. In his Journal of this day he has thought proper to publish a garbled extract of my letter, accom panied by an , explanatory remark,, intimating that he has ,omitted " only the observations. " which are purely personal."—But, aware of the intention of the writer of the letter, and de sirous that those whom it was designed to inne r ence might be ,placed on their guard against the consequences of the period of production, as well as informed on the subject under consideration., I felt and still`Ted 'the allusions thus unfairly ex eluded important to the due understanding of a' question dearly interesting to the Public at tarn, but'hitherto brought before their view under circumstances calculated to preclude im partial decision—l have, therefore, now no re source but to throw myself and my argument, with all its alleged personality, on your dispas sionate consideration, trusting to your pehlic spirit and general fairness for the insertion in your Journail of the whole letter.---I should not be induced on my own account to make this re quest, but the cause I advocate must, I am con fident, sustain greater injury from the.ungenerous inainuatiou of the Editor of the /Vim Times than can possibly result from a public disclosure of the facts on which his charge rests. J. am, Sir, your obedient servant, A REAL SHIPOWNER. 'RECIPROCITY OF DUTIES. Tuesday, July 1, 1023. TO THE'EDITOR OF THE "YEW TIMES." SlR—From , the similarity of the manoeuvre practised, stil more than from the initials affixed to the Communication in your Paper of this day, on the subject of :the Reciprocity of Duties' 13111, I am loud to infer the identity of your Correspond ent with *the Individual who eta recent public meeting con trived, by a ruse de guerre of a similar description, to convey to the public his own sentiments on the same question, under circumstances equally calculated to give them all the effect of which they were susceptible, tut the same time that they effect ually precluded those who differed from him in opinion from all beneficial opportunity of , correcting his mis-statements or con- . futing liisurguments. That your Correspondent, whether as an orator or an auther, l is an able tactician I must, admit, and really must concede to hint the credit of considerable ingenuity, for having, on the oc.' casion to which I allude, 'contrived to engross for an hour and a quarter the attention of a public meeting of mercantile men, the business of which was not fairly opened till elate pe riod of the day, since by.this ingenious device it was absolutely impossible for his opponents to think of attempting to detain those whom the approach of `Change-time, and the hour of quitting town, 'im peratively called invay, by any such comprehensive reply as was rendered requisite by the prolixity of his speech and the variety of details it embraced. This imposiiihility procured for the Individual in question the inestimable advantage of the puff. direct on his oratorical talent in the Newspapers of the succeed. ing morning, and the correct report of arguments which were' e)ryrn cu etfhox p ree ietl ,his t i l cn ie t w o l f io t l i e lo t s i e m w e h a o nta ir t eree tendo frt n )m of , unrefuteil, because unanswered—and unanswered, because the . a s r s i h e e la l ;ue ker had l 7 : r ! t i el( : ) t t e l Bi i n si e o t rl l i el y i i t t t " ! very y h b e e h h considered' sefia t i lriia t tren id ce sca wi r i ce ich l d experienced front the meeting of Ship-Owners, at which no thing.but•that liberality of feeling he now thinks proper totally to deny them, could have permitted his attendance, as he pub— licly avowed that he himself was not a Ship-Owner. 'With equaliiiirnest does your Correspondent, now on the very eve of the day on which the discussion on the Bill is to take place, and when no reply 'tan of course 'he made till after the question is decided, address to those who ques ti on the policy of " War Ditties" (an expression which no one can misunderstand), alengthy repetition of his arguments, seasoned with a profusion of politic compliments on those Who agree.with Ithei in opinion, anti rendered doubly piquant by the caustic severity with which lie treats theunfortunate Ship-owner, anti the contemptuous triumph , withavhieh he ridiculeshis " gloomy predictions," and laughs at his groundless alarms. But though thus debarred from any practical -adiantage to be derived from a reply, the strong desire I feel - that whatever the Legislature may decide, the public should be aware that" this interesting question may be . viewed iu a light very different' from that 'in which it has reathed them through the medium of Speeches at the London Tavern, wad the Letters of J. B. induces me to claim from yourimpartiality the opportunity of offering some remarks in answer to thailetter. Viridian far. titer exordium, therefore, .1 shrill proteed to grapple with the' Leading arguments advanced. In considering ibis question, I am spared much urgument by the concession made in the early,part of theletter, that " if the adoption of the princiPle" against which J. H. contends, " could secure to British shipping the monopoly or carriage, we ought not to reject it." The paramount importance of maintaining the British carrying trade is th us p lai n l y admitted; ywhic be no longer front which admission it follows, that notedly should that prin ciple be adopted which will securous. the monopoly of carnage, followedmono h will polh practicable, t t h a t i thattlie maintenance syst ?io shooolfd se curethat to us the largest portion of it,; since, if the undivided possession of that which is allowed to be essential to our security be .impracticable, sound policy imperatively dictates that we should retain as much as circumstances will perniit. The broad argument than hinges on this point—Supposing the adop. Lion by foreign nations of the precise spirit of our Navigation I la wa, should we, under the nature of the intercourse that would then arise, lose a larger proportion of our carrying trade (while we continued to secure to ourselves the monopoly of importa tion for our own consumption), than would result from a free admission ofiforeign shipping to participation in that trade, on condition of British shipping being allowed a similar participa. tion in the carrying . trade of foreigners ? By keeping the mind steadily fixed on this qaestion, and disentangling it from the web of confusion which sophistry and misrepresentation have artfully spur. around it, I feel confident that a conclusion very different from the inferences of J. H. will be rendered ap. parent.--This line of arguMent is not only .more plain and intelligible, but hears more immediately on the intention of the Bill under consideration, which is, the reciprocal abro gation of all protecting .duties on freight. When national policy has imposed a duty oh foreign produce for the protection of native industry, it is reasonable to imagine that such duty will give rise to retaliatory measures on the part of those against whom the imposition is levelled ; the exports and irn, ports of produce being in such Me supposed to be relatively equal in value, this War of Dudes becomes the unnecessary means of raising the price to the consumer, and its abrogation is tin act of real and valuable reciprocity. Thus far I agree with my opponent. —But in the article of freight, the only ar t i c l e to be affected by the " Reciprocity of Danes" Bill, the analogy no longer holds good. The relative value of exports and imports 'no longer bears on the question ; bulk alone, constituting the employment of tonnage, is the real consideration. In this view Great Britain cannot equally give and receive; she is (if I :may be allowed the expression) a larger consumer of freight than any other nation whatever : perhaps than all other Eu. ropean nations iu .the aggregate. For her then to admit the foreigner to participation in her carrying trade by the abo. lition of her protecting duty on native freight, on condition of admission to participation in foreign freight, is no longer an act of pure reciprocity, leaving both parties under the effect of the abrogation in the same situation as under the system of duty which is the case with respect to goods ; but is a surrender without an equivalent of that advantage, which the smallness of her territory, the density and wealth of her population, and the bulky nature of her importations, as a manufacturing nation, conspire to affbrd her. Avail ing herself of this advantage, she protects domestic freight by an additional duty on foreign freight—an act of unquation. able policy and undeniable right; all that foreigners are in this case entitled to do, consistently with the spirit of equitable re taliation, is to protect similarly their own freight ; but to en deavour to force us by duties not on freight .hut on tonnage, which for the reasons before stated is unfavourable to us, to give them that which they cannot, were they inclined, y ield to us in return, is no act of fair reciprocity calculated to advance the mutual interests of two trading communities, but an unfriendly exertion of mercantile aggression, and an insolent attempt to interfere with our national policy, which is not even specious enough to account for the extraordinary circumstance of the 'Bitlint.mded to tiny their Wishesinto effect, being termed by British Statesmen-- i-A Reciprocity cif Duties Bill." This consideration, that the protecting duty at present pro posed to be abolished is simply a protetting duty on freight, and not on goods, affords a reply to many vf the arguments brought forward in the letter of your Correspondent, and renders•many of the remainder inapplicable.; thus, the fact ofthe small abso lute amount of some of the flutica,is urged as n proof that the assertion of the superior cheapness ;at which foreign shipping can be built and navigated, must be unfounded, or they would engross the trade; but when w e ate told that this additional duty is, Orraimber, 35. per register ton , _ it is, in fact two shillings and ninepenie per lo a d ; it mus t be remembered, that this duty, which-on the price of the timber in this country would not exceed 24 per cent..—is; on the freight to which alone it ap plies, no less than about 11 per cent, an insufficient protection, it is true, as is abundantly proved froM the increase of foreign tonnage employed in itsimportation, and .the ruinous depression of • the British Shipping Interest, but not the inconsiderable one attempted to be insinuated. 'I pass over the argument respecting the inability of the British Ship-Owner to compete with the foreigner, as inapplicable to the course of reasoning I adopt, which is, that the proposed mea site is not one of reciprocity; assuring my opponent, however, that I ern fully prepared to sub s tanti a t e th a t in a bility from which 1 merely at present abstain from unwillingness to occupy your columns with cliscusiiion on the policy of ado2ting the system of reciprocity, while considering a particular measure, which it is my object to prove does not embrace the principle it assumes ; but I trust, should it be necessary, I shall hereafter be allowed to advert to the extraordinary nature of the evidence on which the assertion of our having nothing to fear from foreign eompe , tition is grounded, which I feel convinced of being enabled satisfactorily to refute. From the same motives, I shall not enlarge on the inconsistency of the statement that " the recom inendationa of the Foreign Trade Committee never had the good fortune to meet the approbation of the Ship-Owner," with the eulogy on Mr. NVallace, said at the time to lie most numerously signed by Ship-Owners, from which one would be almost led to infer that Gentlemen assume or disclaim the cha racter, as may suit the particular object in view. I forbear to insist on the actual verification of the gloomy predictions of the Ship-owners, in the ruined state of their property, wholly unpro ductive of income; or the partiality, if not inaccuracy of some of the returns; or on the unfortunate selection of our trade with America as an illustration of the benefits to be expected front the general adoption of a principle, under the operation of which, whether in consequence of it or slot, we have lost the bulk of our carrying trade with that country. But I cannot suffer to pass'utinoticed the assertion, that" Ship-owners have stated that if the duties on the materials employed: in shipbnilding are re mitted, they have nothing to fear from competition," because I know that no such statement has ever been made by the Ship owners ; and it is the pure result of a total misapprehension of that which the Ship-owners' Petition actually expresses, viz.— " An earnest hope that the Legislature will . discountenance every measure calculated to deprive British Shipping of pro tection from foreign competition, until it can be relieved trom the burthens and restrictions to which it is at present subject." I would twin hope that the misstatement Is unintentional, but the ingenious calculation funneled on it is really rather a flight on Icarus' wings from the regions of sober and arithme tical calculation, by which your Correspondent is distinguished- Trusting lie will be more cautious in his future facts before he builds on them such a structure of hypothetical reasoning, I remain, Mr. Editor, Your obedient Servant, A REAL SIIIP-OWNER. SIR ROBERT WILSON. The following is a letter of Sir R. WtLsos to the Portuguese Minister of War : • " Orowro, JtrxEl.—Stn, I have the honour to acquaint your Excellency that I arrived at Oporto yesterday evening; With the intention of proceeding to Lisbon, fur the purpose of layinglefore the Government of his Majesty the King of Por tug& the present situation of Galicia, which I have visited minutely, and of submitting a plan of defence which might pro tect that province from the threatened invasion, cover Portuga l on that side, and hinder the farther progress of t he enemy in Spain, by attekdemonstration as the suitable movement of the Portuguese army might providOfor. " My zeal in the cause of the independence of nations against all armed intervention, nny attachniont to the Portuguese nu., tion, and my sentiments of profound respect for a King who daily obtains fresh titles to the love of his people, would make this step on my part a duty, in order to prevent the misfor tunes of disunion, and to Insure to Portugal the glory and the benefits of that impoSing attitude which circumstances would permit her to take. • . 44 But on my arrival here, i just now learn the events which have taken place at Lisbon; and fearing that 1 might embar rass his Majesti's-Government by my presence at such a crisis , . 1 have determ i n ed to remain at .O p o r to, and to await such communications as your Excellency, on receiving his Majesty's comman ds, may think proper to address to me, for deciding my meas ures, whether of pro mayto' hbise Majesty, a n ti s a l n ta d ll t t o ak a ; proceeding or returning. - • hint, ear livelywi a i t t e h re t s h t e isnentitlie ments.of devoted attachment to his 4 , In all events, I beseech your; Excellency to present my person, the assurances that wherever welfare of a nation' whoseanisfortun e s Lla men t f ront th e bot tom of my heart. humble . . 6t I beg of your Txtellenerto accept the assurances of the high consideration with which I have the honour to be, your Excellency's most obedient servant, " WILSON. 4 ' To hi* Excellency' the Minister of War." .NEWCASTLEXFON-TYNE ) JULY 1. FUNERAL OF.THE LATE HENRY FORSTER, r.su. This afternoon tho funeral ceremony to o k place of the late much lamented Ilti;14 ax YOU:4I'En, Esq. At aboitt halt-past two o'clock the procession set out ii•om the house of Mrs. Forster (his mother), in 'Greenfield-place, Westgate, the great bells of St. John' s an d S t . Ni c h o l as pout i ng forth t h e i r deep and melancholy tones. Six beadles with their staves, in , black silk scarfs, led the procession ; then followed the bearse containing the/body, drawn by,four black horses with funeral truppings, and three mourning coaches. The rear of the pro. cession ,was occupied by about a dozen carriages belonging to private Gentlemen, friends - to the ,very respectable family of the deceased. As it struck three the procession reached the great •portal .of St. Nicholas' Church, the ancient burial. place of the family. Although it was wished that the funeral should be, in every sense, private and unostentatious, it was not possible for it toappear otherwise than as a ceremony at once solemn and imposing. The streets through which the procession passed were crowded with spectators, who seemed to sympathize with the affecting pageantry. And no wonder it was so, when we reflect that so very accomplished and promising a ydung naafi was cut off. in the prime of life, he being only 211 years of age. lie Was a llarrister-at-Law, a Student of Chrilt Church, Oxford, and a Commissioner of Bankrupts. Had it pleased Heaven to lengthen his days, the talents he possessed, m unison with an essentially kind and benevolent disposition, would have rendered him a most useful and valuable Member of Society ; but it was otherwise ordained. Naturally of delicate constitution, the too ardent. prosecution of his studios tended to a greater relaxation of his frame. 'With a view to re.estiabliiih his - health he, last autumn, visited the SOuth of France -and Italy. Nit; ala.s ! all was in vain : the morbid symptoms were not to be overcome, and while hurrying home to his native town, to the solaces of a most affectionate parent. he was somewhat suddenly arrested by the hand of death, at' Calais, on the :glt ult. lie was the eldest son of the 1.14. Joseph Forster, Esq., of Seaton Horn, Northumberland, nuul years one of the Aldernien of Newcastle, and grand nephew :o the Right Von. the Earl of Eldon and lord. Stowell. The following Gentlemen were Pall-bearers on the occasion, viz.:— Robert Clayton, Esq. - Nathaniel Clayton, Esq. Henry Crimilington„ Esq. Christopher.Blackett; ,Esq. Benjamin Sorsbie, Esq. - ' Thomas Wailes, Esq. The Chief Mourners were Joseph Forster, Esq., Lieutenant RN., and E. Forster,' Esq., brothers of the deceased. • The Funeral Service was performed in the most impressive manner by the Reverend the Vicar of Newcastle, who, it was but too visible, was deeply affected on the occasion. MANSION.HOUSE.—A complaint was made be fore Alderman Cox, the lorulikt ewes of the Lord MAY oft while his Lordship was engaged on other publicbusines, by the Serang , or boatswain, of several Lascars, and the rest of the crew a gainst the East India Company, for non-allowance of proper food and clothing, and for non-payment of their just wages. It aPPeaml upon inquiry that their chief, the Serang as he is called, usually received the pay for the time to be consumed in the voyage, and distributed it amongst the men. The present &rang had suc ceeded another, who had appropriated two months' pay, to his own use, and thus the men were d e p r i v ed of it. The other cm. plaint against the East India Company was equally unf ounded, and only shewed that th e L asears h a d n ot b e en allowed spiritnous. likuots. to which they declared the most ardent devotion in spite of Mehemet and the Koran. Some indeed seemed to think, that if gin had been distilled in the time of the Prophet, it would have been specially excepted from the 'prohibitory mandate, and that a taste of .grog would have made him the : patron of topers. .;