The Sun. — London, England, 1824-02-21 00:00:00

=prig many lamentable proofs of the habit of supineness and insenslfiili y to this subject, which was gradually creeping on where it had never before been received. He should vote with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) for the proposal amendment; and if it had been extended to sending the whole army out of England and leaving the country under the protection of the Civil Power only, he would have no less willingly supported it. Lord PALMERSTON replied. As far as he had been able to collect the opinion of the House, the Hon. Members for Westminster and Aberdeen were the only Gentlemen who iatentled to oppose the vote; it was therefore unnecessary for him to enter thrther into the diftcussion than to,answer some of the objections which they had raised. In the first place, the Hon. Meinher for Aberdeen had seemed to consider the rein forceMents for the West India service necessary ; for although he had in the early part of his speech denied this, he had after. wards conceded it. Rut he said, that he had consented to the esti:. mares of the last year only because it was then expected that the country might be engaged in a war, and but for that probability tse would have proposed a reduction to the amount of lft,hoft men. The Hon. Gantleinan might perhaps allude to an opi nion entertained by himself and his friends; but his Lordship. feL it necessary. on his own part, to declare that such an ex.: pectation formed no part of the grounds on which he had so licited the vote of last year. On the contrary, the Govern ment then declared its resolution of remaining strictly neutral, and he could not believe that the House had been induced to agree to the vote the any such reason ; he was quite sure that none such had been proposed by him. NViiat were the means by which the Honourable Gentleman would have Ae reduction which he recommended effected ? In Ireland, he was of opinion, that if certain measures were adopted, the military three at present there might be withdrawn and ap plied to the reinforcement of the Colonial service. Did any man in his senses believe, that if the Catholic question were set at rent tai-morrow,it would.have such a more than Magic effect - upon Ireland, that the force employed there might be safely removed at, once ? The Hon. Member next proposed, that a reduction sbould be made from the cavalry and the Guards.-- He (Lord P.) was prepared to contend that there was not • a . larger number of men to these regiments than was fairly pro portioned to the infantry of the line; and that it was impossible to reduce them without also reducing the efficiency of that esta blishment, which even in times of peace, it was necessary to keep up, that armies might be formed if war should break out. The Hon. Member had alluded 'to the militia and yeomanry; but he knew very well that neither of Those hrces could in any way be made serviceable for colonial reinforcements. Still, he said, if nothing could be done from any ofthese sources, the aug mentation of the army might be effected at a less expence, and that instead of six new regiments, additions might be made to the Old ones. He (Lord P.) was .quite aware that large regimental establishments were less expensive in proportion than small ones; but from the nature of the colonies, and the manner in which the threes were distributed, an addition of 50 men to each regiment, alliough it would increase the numerical force of the establish 'merit, would not add to its disposable force, because the addi tion would be made to many places where it was not wanted, and in others it would be inadequate. The. expence at which the new regiments were made was only that of the officers; and this, it must be remembered, was less than it might seem to.be, for they were supplied from the half-pay list, a nd the ad. ditional expence was only therefore the difference between full and half pay, which was not, as the term would imply, one half, but in some instances, a third ; and in others only a fourth. The Lion. Member under the gallery (Mr. Bernal) had com =plained that the system of quartering troops in the West Indies , vnis not sufficiently attended to. The healthiness of the barracks bad, however, long occupied the attention of the Government, and great pains had been taken by sending comp etent medi cni men to examine them, to procure the best opinions, respect ing each station. He (Lord Palmerston) was aware that some stations had been found unfavourable to the health of the troops. The Government had been engaged in making arrangements with the. Legislative Body of the island of Jamaica, to alter those stations ; and although some difficulties had arisen, he could assure the Hon. Member and the House, that the sub ject had been by no means lost sight of. With respect•to the time and season at which troops were sent to thg West Indies, it was true that it was extremely desirable the reinforcements should arrive there at particular periods of the year. The regiment to which, his Hon. Friend behind (Mr. Wodehouse) had alluded, had unavoidably been sent under very unfa vourable circumstances; but this was one of the - prejudicial consequences arising from the force in the colonies being brought to so low an amount, that when a reinforcement became intinetliately necessary, there was no means of sui. plying it, but by sending a regiment from home, when per naps the Government could not controul the period of its arrival. The Honourable Member for Westminster had said that he was in the sole possession of peculiar opinions on the subject before the. House. He (Lord Palmerston) did cot think by the Hon. Member's arguments of this even ing lie was at all likely to lose the possession of those opinions; and for his own part he (Lord Palmerston), as lie would not willingly rob the Hon. Member of the exclusive credit to which they were, entitled, should say not a word against them. --it was by no means his wish to ridicule that proper constitu tional jealousy with which the people of England hod always regerded the estahlishnient of a standing army ; but 4Would put it to the Hon. Gentleman, or to those who were s i ncere admirers and welt-winheri of he Constitution, whether it was not better to reserve the expression of their opinions on the sub, ject to a fitting opportunity, and whether they did not, in fact throw ridicule on the cause they wished to support, by intro. ducing those opinions upon occasions to whicis they did not app!), HOBHOUSE said that the Noble Locd, for the par pose of rounding a period, had exaggerated what had fallen from him. - He slid not say that he was in the sole possession of the opinions he had expressed; and at all events the Noble Lord might have done injustice to the conscientious motives which prompted that expression, even though it had been as ill-timed - as he seemed to think it. He was quite satisfied, not withstanding the ridicule which the Noble Lord thought his (Mr. Hobhouse's) injudicious support had thrown upon consti tutional principles, that they remained unhurt by it. He was sure he had done those principles as little harm by his snpport as the Noble Lord had done by his attack. Colonel DAVIES thought the estimate an extravagant one. but he was still not prepared to go the full length of the motion. Mr. HUME replied, the ground upon which he had pro posed his motion remained unshaken by any thing he had heard from the Noble Lord. Ile regretted that upon this occasion the benches below him were empty, and that he was deprived of the support he looked for from those Hon.. Members who had usually adiocated the same side of similar questions. He, however, left the motion with the Cornalittge, satisfied that he bad done his duty, General GASUOYNE explaine4. Mr. CALCR AFT, having fdrmerly voted for the reduction of the military force with those of his lion. Friends whose ab sence his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) had just regretted, felt himself called upon to say that he did not think we proposed addition for the service of the colonies could be opposed upon the same grounds. He had, in. concert with those Honourable Friends, voted for reduction until the force of the country had been reduced to such an amount, that lie thought it could not be brought lower ; beyond this, he was not prepared to go, and this he thought sufficieniiy accounted for the absence of those i Ifon. Members. The Committee then dividad: the numbers were— For the Amendment Against it It 2 -92 Majority - The original Resolution was then carried. The following votes were then agreed to without opposition For deftaying the eipenees of the staff { exc l us i ve o f I n di a), 9A,2971. 16s. 6d . - Ditto Ireland, 24,7251. Bs. sd. For defraying the expenses of metlicizes and surgical instru ments, 12,8221. ss. • Ditto Ireland, 4,5581. Its. Gil. }or the volunteer corps, 134,000/. Ditto Ireland, 19,3431. 12s. Bd. For the troops and companies recruiting' or the East India Cqmpany's service, 20,253/. 25..1d. Royal Military College, 11,4231. 19s. Id. Army pay of General Officers, 169,1701. Garrisons of Great Britain, 29635/. 13s. 10d. Ditto Ireland, 6,5561. 18s. 6d. Full pay of retired officers, 134,4421. Os. hi. Half pay and military allowances, 838,8921. 4 s . 6d. Foreign half pay, 111,2601. In-pensioners of Chelsea and Eilmainham Hospitals, 48,3991.85. Ild. Out-pensioners of Chelsea Hospital, 1,219,4171. Ils. 10d. Royal Military . Asylum, 23,8641.55. 3d. Widows' pensions, 134,251/. Compassionate list and pensions for wounds, 186,3341. 13s. 9d. Superannuation allowances, 41,94111. 13s. 7d. Ditto Ireland, 5,292/. 163. 4d. Exchequer fees 33,0001. Lord PALSIEILSTON then stated that he had no further votes to move. NAVY EStIMATES. Sir G. CLERK moved that the bum of 53,28 , 61. ss. ld. be granted to deficay the salaries and contingent expences of the A dmiralty Office. Mr. HUME took that opportunity of calling the attention of the Hon. Baronet to a subject which was not connected with the vote before the Committee. lie understood that the great dissatisfaction existed among the lower class of workmen in the dock-yards, on account of the reduction which had been made in their wages since the conclusion of the war, which reduction they conceived to be much greater in proportion to the amount at their wages than the reduction which bad _taken place in the salaries of the persons who held situations above them.. Ile did not know whether the attention of Government had been called to the circumstance; but he had received information to the effect which he had stated. Sir a CLERK said he was not aware that any dissatisfac tion prevailed among the workmen in the dock-yards, and he was sure there was no ground for any. The followingvotes were then moved and agreed to : For the salaries and contingencies of the Navy-pay-office, 27,794/. Is. 6d. 4 Salaries and contingencies of the Navy-office, 57,6701. 15s. Ditto of the Victualling-office, 33,447/. lOs. Ditto of the Dock-yard at Deptford, 17,815/. 10s. Bd. Ditto of the Dock-yard at Woolwich, 19,364/. 10s. Ditto of the Dock-yards at Chatham, 24,865/. 103. 2d. Ditto of the Dock-yards at Sheerness, 16,534/. 13s. Ditto of the Dock-yards at Portsmouth, 35,495/. 3s. 2d. Ditto of the Dock-yards at Plymouth, 31.226/. ss. Bd. Ditto of the Dock-yards at Pembroke, 6,490/. 103. Ditto of the out ports, 3,2111. I Is. 2d. Wages to artificers and labourers employed in his Majesty's Dock-yards at home, 476,4001. Charge for timber and all other materials, for the building, repairing, and fitting his Majesty's ships, & c., 507,0001. Upon the last vote being proposed, Mr. HUME asked whether Ministers had taken any mea sures on the subject of the dry-rot ? Sir .BYAM MARTIN replied, that the immersion of the wood in salt water was now practised, and the use of coal-tar discontinued. For the latter circumstance he (as we understood) was sorry ; because he believed that the use of coal-tar was attended with good effects. It was quite certain that the dry rot had greatly decreased since the termination of the war ; and he was convinced that the ships which had been built since that period would have a longer duration than any which had been constructed before. In consequehce of the allusion which had been made on a former occasion to Mr. Burbidge's book on the dry rot, he had taken the trouble to read that work through, and he (lid not hesitate to say that it was false from the beeinning to the end.--(A laugh.) Mr.IIUME observed, that ise could not vouch for the truth of all that Mr. Burbidge had advanced, but there certainly were some of his statements which deserved to be seriously con sidered, and he intended to bring them under the notice of the House at a future period. He wished to receive information on two other points—namely, whether the use of foreign timber had been abandoned in ship-building ; and whether, in the contracts which had been made by Government, it had been stipulated that the timber should be felled in winter instead of the summer? Sir B. MARTIN said that Government had contracted for both foreign and native timber, but that no stipulation had been made that it should be felled at any partieular period.— When the Hon. Member should bring the subject of the dry rot before the House, he (Sir B. Martin) would be able to show that the dry rot had been most destructive to our shipping dur ing the last 150 years, and that it had only begun to disappear since the conclusion of the war.—(Hear, hear !) Sir J. WROTTESLEY said, it was of great moment that the oak employed in ship-building should be felled in winter, as its duration was thereby greatly increased. The following vote was agreed to : Charge for pilotage, Exchequer fees, &c., 40,0001. The next vote was_. Foreign yards, salaries, &c. 62,802/. 19s. Mr. HUME asked whether any person had been sent out to Bermuda, to ascertain whether that island was a proper station for shipping? Sir 0. CLERK replied, that Mr. Jessop had proceeded to Bermuda, and reported favourably of that place as a stationfor shipping. Mr. HUME inquired whether no other person besides Mr. Jessop had beeti sent out ? Sir G. CLERK said, that he could rely upon the experience and ability of Mr. Jessop. Mr. BRIGHT thought that it was desirable that Bermuda should as speedily as possible be put in a state of defence. He did not know whether the attention. of Ministers had been call ed to an establishment to the south of Florida. He thought that Government ought to form an establishment to counter balance that of the Americans in some part of the Bahama Islands. Sir G. COCKBURN stated, that Government could not object to the Americans forminc , establishments where they thought proper in the territory alluded to ; but it was their (the Government's) duty to keep an eye upon them. The vote was then agreed to, as were the following ones:-. Victualling-yards, salaries, &c., 72,6691. 12s. Medical establishments, salaries, &c., 52,4061. 17s. 11d. Royal Naval College and School of Naval Architecture, 6,1771. 12s. 6d. Wages to Officers, ship-keepers, and men belonging to ves sels in ordinary, 103,523/. 17s. sd. Victuals to Officers, ship-keepers, &c., 5'5,421/. 113. Hired packets, 46,0001. When the last vote was proposed, Mr. HUME asked what packets they were ? Sir 0. CLERK said, that the vote was required to defray the expence of the packets appointed to carry the foreign mails from Falmouth. The sum used to be expended by the post• office, but it was now made an item in the navy estimates. Air. HUME thought the Post -office ought to have the con troul of the packets. He could see no reason why the item should be placed in the Navy Estimates: it only tended to create confusion. Sir G. CLERK said that it was part of the new plan which had recently been adopted, to substitute vessels of war for the packets, in the event of the breaking out of hostilies, which would prevent those delays which frequently occurred during the last war, when the packets were obliged to wait for the con voy of King's ships, or run the risk of being captured. He really thought the Hon. Gentleman's proposition, so far from being one that went to the simplification of these accounts, Would only tend to make them th e more complex. Mr. ROBERTSON did- . hope th a t t h e H on. M em b er for .bertleen would not persist in liis opposition to the plan whici in this instance had been adopted by his Majesty's Govern ment. It might be well to remark, that one of the first motions made in the Congress of the United States of America, after their independence had been recognized, was the adoption of a similar kind of service. The principle of it was—the constant ,employment, without any additional expense to Government, of a number of naval officers, whose services would always be immediately available in rt m e of war. Mr. HUME pressed the matter no further, and the vote was agreed to. Upon the resolution in respect of the grant of 911,0001. for half_pay to flag officers, &c. CA LCItAFT begged to observe, that he thought the case of midshipmen was a very hard one as to half_pay. What. ever had been their services, or however they might be entitled by their skill and merit, it was often totally out of the power of the Admiralty to grant them any promotion. Now, it appeared to him that it would be but fair and expedient to select a cer tain number of midshipmen, on the principle, for example, of length of service. At present, very many in this class of officers were obliged to turn their attention to some other em ployment for subsistence, and thus were lost, meritorious indi viduals though they 'night be, to the service for ever.—(Hear, hear!)—He conceived that a certain proportion might be se lected, to whom half pay should be given (and the • whole amount could be but small) as a retaining fee whenever the country might require their services. Sir (1. CLERK - thought the object which the Hon. Gent. had in view well deserved the most serious consideration ; but it was surrounded with many difficulties ; and he could not think the mode suggested by the Hon. Gentleman the most eligible for effecting his purpose. The fact was, the Admiralty had given employment to almo s t a ll m id s hi pmen who had lately passe their examinations ; and promotions had been made that included almost all those who had passed examination before the year 1814. Mr. CA LCRAFT was not at all tenacious about the mode' or' carrying such a plan into effect, provided so important a principle was recognized. The Adfmralty would find no dif ficulty in obtaining an annual grant of 6,000/. or 7,0001., which might be a sufficient fund for the half-pay in question. Sir G. COCKBURN, rather in his capacity as an officer of the royal navy than as a Lord of the Admiralty, returned his Sincere thanks to the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Calcraft) for the very great attention which he at all times 'paid to this service; but he was of course aware that, of itself, the Admiralty could not carry into effect the sort of measure proposed. - Mr. HUME begged to ask whether the half-pay officers of the navy stood now in the same situation as they did at the end of the American war in this respect—were they permitted to enter the merchant service ? Might lieutenants, for example, accept the command of private ships without running the hazard of losing their naval commissions ? Sir G. COCKBURN replied, that with the leave of the Ad miralty, Lieutenants might command merchant vessels. The leave of the Admiralty was necessary to he previously obtained ; because by the original half-pay regulations, and the rule esta blished in the reign of Charles IL, half-pay officers were re quired to reside at some one or other of the sea-ports; and if they wished to reside abroad, were ret)uired to obtain, previ ously, a letter of leave from the Admiralty. The same prin ciple was not held to apply to captains or superior officers'; nor as to lieutenants, even, with respect to the command of small packet vessels, the commanders of which were paid by the con tributions of passenger S—a mode of remuneration that did not appear sufficiently respectable for officers bearing commissions in the Royal Navy. -Mr. HUME understood that half-pay officers had to give each a fee for his letter of leave. .Sir GEORGE CLERK.—Yes, on obtaining them. Mr. HUME considered this to be a great hardship. In a certain number of years (he had been enabled to discover) these fees amounted to nearly 19,0001. But since officers in the army obtained leave to reside abroad without the payment of any fees, why were officers of the Navy to be subjected to such a tax ? The following resolutions were then agreed to : £136,299. 16s. Id., to defray the charges of superannuations and pensions to officers, their widow s a nd relatives. £I,AO, for bounty to chaplains. X 7,000, in aid of the compassionate list. Upon the vote being moved of 00,000/. for defraying the de ficiencies in the funds of the charity for the relief of the widows and orphans of commissioned and warrant officers of the royal navy, MI:. HUME said, the Hon. and Gallant Officer opposite had been understood upon a former night to say, that masters of the navy had not been more generally promoted on account of their not being able to pass their examinations. Now he (Mr. Hiiine) considered this class of officers to be,a highly meritorious set of men.—(Hear!)—He found their total number, as it stood in the last list, to be 551 ; since which list, 76 of these had been set aside. Perhaps it would be better to retain them for the ser vice of the public, when their experience and talents might be needed. There were now left, therefore, 475 masters, 250 of whom were at present employed in the merchant service, or subsisting on the very small half-pay allowed them. If these men should be wanted, so small was the encouragement held out to them, that it might he a question how far they would be disposed to return to the service. Theirs appeared a case of considerable hardship.—(Hear !) Sir G. COCKBURN observed, that if he had been repre sented to have said what had just been imputed to him by the Hon Member, he could only say, that if persons would look for information to that source which was constantly, and for the purpose, giving a wrong representation of what fell from Gen tlemen in that House, lie was not answerable for :itch error.— What he really did say on a former night was, that the masters in the navy were a most useful set of men. It was then observ ed to him, that originally every master who chose it, and was judged sufficiently qualified, might rise to the rank of lieuten ant; but that sort of promotion was now put a step to. His (Sir G. Cockburn's) answer was, that masters could still be promoted, and were now occasionally promoted; and that at one time only, an interval of two years,, occurring about twenty years since, had this rule been interrtiPled. That with regard to other persons rising to be masters, and he meant seamen of course, no restriction was imposed upon their promotion, but their sustaining a very strict examination as to ability. This he stated at the time ; and if he was wrongly reported, as he gene rally was, it was no fault of his. Mr. HUME had seen no report of the Hon. and Gallant Officer's speech, but such had been his understanding. • The House then voted 290,0001. to make good the deficiency in the funds for defraying the charge of out-pensioners in Greenwich Hospital. £163,783 l Is. ld. for pensions, superannuations, and allow ances, to secretaries, clerks, and others in naval offices, in lieu of half-pay. £lO,OOO for ship-building in the East Indies. £127,500 for defraying the expence of repairs and improve ments. £255,000 for the purchase of provisions for troops and gar risons on foreign stations, and for the convict service ; and the value of returns for troops to be embarked on board ships of war and transports, at per estimate prepared by the Commis sioners of the Victualling. £188,300 for the charge for transports. Mr. HUME thought that against the names of individuals who were superannuated, the term of their service ought to be affixed. Among other names under the charge of 167,0001. he observed that of T. D. Boswell, for instance, with a pension of 5131. a year. Mr. HUSKISSON saw no objection to the adoption of the lion. Member's suggestion. As to Mr. Boswell, he was 75 years old when he was superannuated, and was the brother of the biographer of Dr. Johnson. He was a very worthy m a n. After some further remarks by Mr. HUME, The CHAtumAN reported progress, and asked leave to sit again ; and the Report was ordered to be received on Monday next. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER having moved that the House should on Monday resolve itself into a Com" mittee on the act respecting the four per cent. duties, took the opportunity of giving notice, that he should on the same even ing submit the statement he meant to make relative to the finan cial state of the country—(Hear, hear !)—as the occasion would be more convenient than would be furnished in the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Serjeant ONSLOW, on the suggestion of Mr. Calcraft, postponed the Committee on the Usury Laws until Friday next. Mr. HOB/1011SE moved for the copy of any letter which may have been issued during the last year by the Board of ..._ ecettioerlF236, f Taxes to the s evera l S urve yors i n E nglan d , or d er i ng a genera l survey of houses an d tax es.—Ord ere d . ~,... Mr. HERMES moved for t h e ! 10 Minute of the 10th e l " oanTtrheeasury subjectlet teorfatTle survey directed by the Com missi oners o f T axes, to be made o f the surcharges on the inhabited h ouse take ; an d also for the copy of the letter of thz Commi ss i oners o f T axes, dated the 30th of December, 1823, on the same subject. Mr. IlUSKlSSON•presented a . petition from the tobacco_ manufacturers of. Liverpool, Praying for a reduction of the duties on tobacco. The Petition of several individuals, praying for leave to bring was referred way under th e b e d o f th e Th ames, in a . ill for ma an arch .. to a king Committee. The other Orders of the Day were disposed of; and a t a QUARTE R PAST ELE VEN th e House adjourned until Mon. day next. . LIST OF THE MINORITY Who voeii f6r Reducing the proposed Regular Military Esta blishment from 73,000 to 60,000 men. Ingilby, Si r \V. Williams, W. Monck, J. B. Wilkins, W. Palmer, C.F. TELLER. • wood, Al. Hutne, J. . ' - 1 ---- MAJORITY . Who voted against the production of a List of the Number of Catholics appointed to Office in Ireland, in 26 Departments under Government, since t!.'e.passin g of the Act in 1793, which opened th e Door to Offices of Emolument and Ho nour to all Classes of Catholics, except to the particular Of fices under that Act enumerated. Astley, Sir J. D. .Harvey, Sir E. Phipps, Hon. E. Brogden, J. Heber, R. Portman, E. B. - Browniow, C. Ilia, Rt.lin.Sir G. Robinson,RtHn.F. Burgh, Sir U. Iluskisson,Rt.Hon. Ross, C. • Canning, Rt.Hn.G. W. Sandon, Lord Cholmley, Sir M. Herrics, J. C. Somerville, Sir M. Clerk, Sir G. . Horton, -14. W. Tremayne, J. H. Cooper, R. B. Knatchbull, Sir E. Trench, F. W. Copley, Sir J. S. Long, Rain. Sir C. Wallace, Rt. Hn. T. Courtenay, T. P. Morl4nd, Sir S.B. Wetherell, C. Denison, W. J. Omnianney, Sir F. Wynn, Si r W. W. Forbes, Sir C. PalmFrston, Lord TELLERS. Fremantle, W. Peel, Rt. Hon. R. Dawson, G. R. Gilbert, D G. Phillimore, J. Goulburn,RtHnH. MINORITY. Browne, Dom. Hutchinson, Hon. Newport, Sir J. Cavendish, Ld H. C. IL Wood, Ald. Ellis, G. J. W. A. Hume, J.' TELLERS. Hamilton, Lord A. Lamb, Hon. G. Althorp, Visct. Hobhouse, J. C. blonck, JB. Grattan, J. 4x Grat*an, J. Guise, Sir W. Hobhouse, J. C. Johnson, Col. OLD BAILEY._cr IIIS T 1 AY., DA RING BURGLAftY.--john Easterbl, Peter Ryan, Henry King, and Maria Bennet, were put to the bar on an indictment charging the three first with burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling house of John James, and stealing • therein property to the amount of 1001. and upwards, on the 25th of December last, in the parish of St. James, Clerken well. Bennet was charged as an accessary after the fact.— Easterby, Ryan, and King, were also indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of John Bond Graham, and steal ing therein property to a very considerable amount. —An additional detainer was also lodged against King, who, conjointly with a woman named Eliza Blackwell, stood indicted for assaulting, on the King's highway, John Francis Powell, and taking from his person, with force and violence, a quantity of silver spoons, Scc., the property of Richard Britton. The prisoners are all well known characters, and the, charge being fully brought home to them, the Jury found them The verdict in the case of Johnson, tried yes. terday, was Wilful Murder. IMPROVEMENTS IN LONDON AND WESTMINSTER. Yesterday a Meeting of the Merchants Bankers, Traders, and Inhabitants of the Cities of London and West- Minster, and the adjacent counties, was held at the City of 'London Tavern, for the purpose of agreeing to such resolutions, and adopting such meases, as shall he deemed most expedient, with the vicar to the improvement oki4e streets and avenues of the Cities of London and Westmins , the borough of South . ,eivark, and the adjecent counties. At one o'clock, on the motion of Mr. Alderman WOOD, the Chair was taken by CHARLES BARKLEY, Esq. The Ctrainaraie, in opening the business of the day, re marked, that a string of resolutions had been prepared by some gentlemen who had undertaken the preliminary arrangements, and which, when read, would better explain than he could do the object which they were assembled to consider. Mr. RonERT SLADE hoped that the importance of the sub ject, which was nothing less than the improvement of the metropolis of the British empire, would be a sufficient apo logy for his rising to call their attention to the resolutions which were prepared for the consideration of the Meeting. He trusted that so important a subject would be deemed a sufficient justification for convening their fellow-citizees, and he anticipated that the result would be equally gratifying to them. They must all feel the importance of attempt ing, on a suitable scale, the improvement o f th e c i ty o f London ;—the necessity or such a step must be equally apparent to all.; and he therefore thought that he must have their full approbation in laying down this broad pro position ;—that the present state of the metropolis, in many of its avenues and street s , was tota ll y inadequate to the accommodation and convenience of the increased and increasing population of the town, and its increased and increasing business.—( Hear !)—This being an admitted propo sition, what was the remedy? The tax upon coals was about to be submitted for the revision of Parliament, and it was one which had already been recognized by the Ligislature as a fit article upon which a fund might be raised for local improve ments. if they recurred to the time of the fire of London, they would find that then a tax of Is. per chaldron was first laid on, for the specific purpose of rebuilding the churches and other edifices destroyed by the conflagration ; it was from thence clear that the Legislature thought such a tax a fit mode of carrying into effect local repairs. The Irish Legislature had, many years ago, adopted, at the public expence, a plan for the im provement of the city of Dublin. In the year 1782 they passed an Act, appointing " wide street commissioners," and appropriating a tax of Is. per ton upon coals, for the improvement of the metropolis ; and the consequence was, that through th e opera tion of that Act, D u bli n became ltimately unproved to a greater extent than any other city in Europe. He had often occasion within the last forty years to visit the Irish metro polis, which he remembered in its early state of disgrace, and had since repeatedly seen and admired in its extent of local embellishment—its fine quays running in a line of four miles, where mud and marshes were previously situate. 'Why, then, should the Briti s h metropolis be alone neglected ? The Worthy Gentleman then recapitulated the history of the English duty on coals, pointing out the time and mode of its successive augmentation until it amounted, upon the citizens of London, to a tax of 9s. 4cl. per chaldron. He hoped the Legislature, if they did not repeal the whole of this tax i would at least strike off 6s. of i ts amount, leav i ng 3s. 4d., and out of the latter, affording Is. or is. 6d., for carrying into effect the local improvements which the citizens of London called for. He said that there was the utmost harmony be tween the Gentlemen who had convened the meeting and the petitioners for the repeal of the coal tax, there not being, when duly considered, the least inconsistency between the object of the one and the other. In following up the business of the present meeting, and to obviate the possibility of any sur mise that private objects, and not great public improvements, were in contemplation, and it was not intended to point out, or to recommend to the Legislature, any particular plans of local improvement—it was merely meant to leave the whole of the arrangements to the Legislature, and the pub lic commissioners appointed, if any should be appointed, to carry the act into execution•---(Heari hear, hear !)—Some might think that the removal of the duty on coals would be attended with bad consequences to the citizens of London, by its affording, an encouragement. to the great manufacturers of Birmingham and of Sheffield to remove to the Metropolis, and add, by their works, to the mass of smoke which was at present so much complained of. This was, he thought., a chi merical apprehension, for the local advantages of these great manufacturers were too valuable to permit the slightest chance of emigration. As no tune was to be lost in promoting the business of the Meeting, he would conclude by reading a string b ie e n en re p a r d e . par T ed he b c y on th ta e i C ne cr i a m n it i t i e is e t . The Resolutions ori were then oco established,aff l s ß u n e a c s i r l o r l a p u t o i t t e i n ao o n s n f d w o t pf h h r i t e c ah h3eP, these i h ed n a dt d c hu i p at i l t e e sp u aa p rs ol was ams w er h ne i tt c aw h i no t e h udl e ,d c ia o s p.a or rr d o u i pa t r i . a6 s tae w . poe out chaldron, for the 1041 improvement of the metropolis. Petitions to Parliament, and to the Common Council of the City of London, founded upon the Resolutions, were also read. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON rose to second the resolution.— He expressed his conviction that not a single person could be found, who did not complain of the great danger and inconve nience felt by the present disgraceful and confined condition of many parts of the city of London—retail traders, in particular, suffered from that circumstance, as did likewise persolis from the west end of the town and the environs, who had business at the Bank, or the other public establishments within the city. If the Legislature recognized the prayer of the petition, then he had no doubt an adequate fund could be raised by a mort gage of the tax, which would enable the Commissioners to proceed with all convenient dispatch to make the local appear ance of the City of London as remarkable for its embellish ments, as its citizens were for their wealth and public spirit.— (Hear, hear!)—He entirely aroved of the mode in whi c h i t was intended to meet the expenc pp e—a mode which, they would recollect, would, from the smallness of the amount of their c c o o n n s s u u l m n p ers ti r . the fal la l r l g i g e h m t ly an u u n fa o c n tu t r h e e rs poo an r d , b u r - e h w il e e rs th , e w p o rn ld cip b a e l found most ready to meet the charge. Mr. Youerca asked whether the object of the Meeting did not clash with the general desire of the citizens of London to get rid of the whole of the coal-duty ?He merely asked for in formation, as he was friendly to any plan foe the promotion of public improvements. The CHAIRMAN replied, that the feeling of the Committee was this--that die Government meant to retain -at all events a portion of the coal-duties, and that under such circumstances it would be expedient for them to endeavour to obtain a part of the tax so retained, for the original purpose for which the tax was first laid on—namely, Jocal improvements.--(Hear, hear 1). Mr. Aid. WOOD also recapitulated the statement of the origi nal purpose and gradual diversion of the coal-duties, to the great oppression and injury of the citizens of London. He was, how ever, greatly afraid that the Minister did not mean to reduce any part, much less the whole, of the coal-duties. The question then was could they secure a part for local em b e lli s h ments ? T en millions of the coal-duties had already been misapplied from the original intention of the Act of Parliament; and it was time for them to see if they could not prevail upon the Government to grant them a little, for clearing away the nuisances Which disgraced the great metropolis of the British empire. On a late occasion, he was one of a deputation that applied to tha Minister for a grant from this fund to repair Blackfriars-bridge, but the answer was, " Would you have us give you money granted for public purposes, to carry on private works ?" The deputation said, " But the fund was originally intended for local improvements in the metropolis." " Well," rejoined the Minister, " when you come for general purposes, and not for Blackfriars-bridge, we can consider what you may have to offer." Now was the time, then, for pressing the general question upon the attention of Government. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON said that dispatch was necessary, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer intended on Monday next to submit his plan of finance to the House of Commons ; it wis incumbent upon them to press this subject on the attention of Government before the business of finance was finally deter mined.—(Hear !) Mr. Wren rAar WILLIAMS concurred in the proposed plan . of local improvement, and in the principle that local tax ation was properly applicable for such an object. The ne cessity of something being done in this way for the metropolis was disgracefully apparent. Any body who looked at Exeter 'Change, and a hundred and thirty or forty similar interruptions to the straight line of the most frequented streets, must at once see that improvement ought to be no longer delayed. He ex pressed his full satisfaction that, from the nature of the applica tion, not the slightest idea of the accomplishment of any private object could be insinuated, the whole plan being one both ne cessary and well calculated for the promotion of a great national object. After a short conversation between Mr. SAMUEL DIXON, Mr. Alderman WOOD, and other gentlemen, respecting the ul. timate object of those wiko were charged with the business of the Meeting, the Resolutions and petitions were unanimously agreed to, and thanks were voted to Mr. Slade and to the Chairman for their services upon the occasion.--The Meeting was respectably attended. Accounts have been received from Mexico to the 20th of December, by the way of New York. They contain no intelligence, but state the course of affairs to be proceeding smoothly, and that harmony exists between the provinces and the capital. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. MOUSE OF COMMONS. Veneris,W o die Februarii, l 524. Roans—Brighton and Newhaven, Kingsbridge, Ambl eside and Kirkby-in-Kendal, Glasgow, Span Smithy and Talk, Carmarthen, Buckingham and Towcester, Radnor and Here ford, Lan-port. Battle Bridge and Holloway, Durham and Tyne Brid re, Thorngumbald and Pattrington, Shepley and Barnsley, Goole and Thorne, Bridport, and Teddington and Evesham—Petitions for Bills referred to Committees. Ship ley—Petition for Bill reported, Report to lie on the table. Chester and Nantwich, Wilmslow Bridge, Carlisle a nd Cockermouth, Broadway and Meckleton, Buxton and Stock port, and Stokenchurch—Bills ordered to be brought in. Bolton and Chorley—Petition for additional provision, re fenced to former Com m itt ee . Bl ac kb urn and Preston—, Pe tition from Preston, in favour of Bill, to lie on'the table. Wetherby and Knaresborough_Bill read a. first time. ll T ATE . a l VOUKS—Cheltenham—Petition for Bill reported; Re port to lie an the table. Canterbury, and Bolton--Petitions for Bills referred to Committees. BRIDGES—Haw (Act Amendment)—Petition for Bill report' ed:; Report to lie on the table. GAS LlGllTS—Ramsgate—Petition for Bill referred to a Com mittee. Kennington, and Leeds--Petitions for Bills re ported ; Reports to lie on the table. • Coat PAN r—Mining (Ireland) 2d, Phcenix Gas Light and Cake' —Petitions for Bills 'referred to Committees. General Gal Light—Petition for Bill reported; Report to lie on the table. POLlCE—Brighton —Bill ordered to he brought in. Dundee Petition for Bill referred to a Committee. TERRY--Littlehampton CriarEt.—Worthing BUIS' ordered to. INoLostrats—Silston (Northampton), & be brought in. Felpham (Sussex) IMPROVEMENTS—Manchester, and Caul terbury—Petiionia for Bills referred to Committees. Keighley—Bill ordered to be brought in. CANALS—Counter's Bridge—Petition for Bill referred to, a Committee. kiertford Union—Bill ordered to be brought in. THEATRE—Cheltenham RAlLWAY—Redrnth II A Imo un—Brenogue HARBOUR AND POLlCE—Greenock ESTATE —CastIe Island _ • PILOTS REGULATION—LiverpooI VEsTß—Southwark ,St. John's) LIGHTING, &c.—Camberwell NAVIGATION—Medway Pools—Montgomery and Pool 'KELSO Two PENNIES SCOTS 'TUNNEL -Thames Petitions for Bills re ferred toCommittees. GAOL—Ayr—Petition for Bill referred to former Cominittee. PUBLICANS—Petition of Licensed Innkeepers and Victuallers of Spalding, Blackburn, Winchester, St. Luke, Middlesex, Peterborough, and Huntingdon, for the repeal of tile increaied Duties on Licences ; to lie on the table. 00Ar. DU TlES—Petitions against the Duties on Coals, from A bridge, Bermondsey, Cornhill Ward, Harland, Pehem bury, Feniton, South Molton, Cullornpton, Silverton, and Broadlist, Camelford, Hertford, Greenwich, Bishopsgate "Ward, Newport, Exeter, and Norwich—to lie on the table. LEATHER TAN--,Petitions of Tanners of Clonmell, and Drog , . heda, for the repeal thereof; to lie on the table. FOREIGN Woor.— . -Petition of Merchants, Sr.c. of London, for repeal of the Dutiesthereupon ; to lie on the table. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR MONDAY. 1. Ways and Means—Second Resolution (Tax on Pensions, &c.)—Further Consideration. 2. Recovery of Penalties Bill—Second Reading. 3. Supply—Report. 4: Supply—Committee. 6. Four per Cent. Acts—Committee thereupon. 6. Judges in Wales Bill—Second Reading. 7. Ways and Means—Committee. 8. Reciprocity of Duties. Bill—Report. - • 9. Law Courts (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading. 18. Exchequer Bills (X 15,000,000) Bill—Report. 11. Transfer of Aids Bill—Report. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR MONDAY. 1. Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer—Statement relating to the Finances of the Country. (In Committee on Four per Cent. Acts). . -• , • 2. Mr. Hurne—Mode of Collection of Duties on Pensions. (In Consideration of Report Ways and Means). 3. Mr. Martin (of Galway)—Select Committee to inquire whe,' ther the practice of Bear-baiting, and other cruel sporta, has a mischievous effect on the morals of the people. 4. Mr. Curwen—copy of Memorial concerning the absence of the Attorney-General from the Isle of Mann;' also, Patent of his appointment. 5. Mr. - Herries—Miscellentous Estimates. (In Committee of Supply ?. NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY. Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1. Mr. Kennedy, —Bill to alter the mode in which Juries are chosen toiserve in the administration of the Criminal Law in Scotland. Mr. Kennedy,—Select Committee on the Roads from Glas gow to Portpatrick. PRIVATE RILLS--SECOND READINGS for MoNDAr. 1. Snelston lnclosure 5. Grampound Road 2. Stockton and Darlington 6. Gisburne Roads Railway 7. Kensington Roads 3. Thirsk and Yarm Roads 8. Ashby-de-la-Zouch Roads 4. Penrith Road l9. Tunstead & Rapping Poor . , PRICE OF STOCKS 'rills t)Asr AT TWO Wc.t.t)cK. Bank Stock ...... 237 a 2 38/P33 Lndia Stock 3 per Cent. Red 920 India 80nd5...... 795. 81s. 80s. 3 per Cent. Cons- 91gmf .South Sea Stock 3i per Cent 104 Old Annuities — 4 per Cent. j Old ...... 1023. ii Ex. Bills 41 60 52 49 ( New —.107 106 Z Ditto Small — 5 per Cents. 1797 ............ Bank for Act. — Bank Long Ann.... 22ki I India for Con. Acct. Imp. 3 per Cents. J Cons. for Act. 91i/a -- , PRICE or FOREIGN STOCKS IN LONDON, Fan. 21,, AT ONE O'CLOCK. French i Five per Cents. 99i. 1. cri.p,..11 pm. - -- - Six per Cents. 00. Russian. Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00. Ditto New 94e. Neapolitan Five per Cent. Bonds, 88i. Austrian Scrip, 10i prem. Five per Cent. Bonds, 1820, 00. Spanish { Ditto 1821, 243. Ditto 1823, 181. Prussian Five per Cent. Bond s , 95i. _ f i Ditto New, 936. Danish Five per Cent. Bonds, 00. Portuguese 90. Peruvian New Loan, 00. Chili 81. Colombian Six per Cent. Bonds, 68t. Mexican Loan, 74 prem. 00. Poyais .. { New, 3i. . 1. A f Hullett's, par. 8 prem. Mexican Mines --, Greek 3i. IBank Shares £23 10 3.— x24 . Seven per Cent. 94-90. American Six per Cent. 94-101. Five per Cent. 00-000. Three per Cent. 76A 77. 1 HIGH WATER A T LONDON BRIDGE TO-MOll ROW. Morning, 37 minutes after 7. 1 Evening, 9 minutes after 8: T 4 1 u 11 • SOLEM QUIS DiCERE FALSUM AUDE4T LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1824. a sour-srazzarlr , "... - Lans.atsver l , We this day re-publish the Decree of Fru- DINAND relative to South America, from a more correct copy of that important document than the version which appeared in the Etoile. It is nova quite evident that FEitnINAND is resolved never to relinquish his pretensions to 'sovereignty. of. Spanish America, and also that the actual resumpl tiou of that Sovereignty would soon be followed by measures hostile to the interests of Great Britain. It must not be forgotten that Mr. CAN, Rt gt 8e s t ib : i stt i ti ot c tru the