The Sun. — London, England, 1803-08-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF PEERS, MONDAY, AUG. 8. Tire sfveral Bills upon the Table were forwarded in their re,peEfive stages. A number of Bills were brought up from Commons, chiefly by Mr„VANSIIJART among whieh were, Lord Ainittirst"s Annuity Rill, the Prize:Money Regulation, the Irish Glebe Houses, the Neutral Ships, the Wines Prizage, and the . Irish Cnstoms Regulation Bills, These were seve. rally read a first time, The Earl of WESTNiOaLANG moved,' that the Order which stood for this day, for taking into consideration the Standing Orders No. 26 and tsg, be adjourned till 'to-morrow, and the Lords smn. cloned thereopon t which was ordered accordingly. The Earl of Sl,l 'FOLK observed, that being Lather indisposed at present, he should beg the in. dulgence of their Lordships in permitting him to withdraw his notice for the Motion he had intended to bring forward this day. As he had just beard the House ordered to be summoned to.morrow, he should take the advantage of . the attendance, which such a prOceeding was likely to bring, and submit Ms intended Motion to.morrow, as welt as deliver his sentiments upon a subjeft which he conceived of the frst importance at present, namely, the general defence of the Country. Lord HOBART expressed h:s wish to learn the nature of the Noble Earl's 'intended Motion. Th. Earl of SUFFOLK replied, that what he proposed to submit to the Nouse, in the shape of a Motion, was for the aPpointment of a Military, Council or Committee, with , a view to the better dirthion of the means of defending the Country, and far the :assistance of Royal Highness ,the Commander in Chief, in the execution of leis ardu, otri and important duty. After a short private conference between his Lordship and Some of the PCOS oil the IVlinisterial _ . Bench, , • The Edrl of SUFFOLK proceeded to his place, and rising, observed, it was his wish by every means in his power to accommodate Noble Lords : ] Os it seemed. to be the desire of some that he should. them go on, he would, indisposed as he was, deliver his sentimemts on the occasion as well as he could. The Noble Earl then,' in a. ,speech' of considerable *kiigth, and, consisting, the.greater part,, of re. fereeice or detail, delivered his sentivocnts upon the important topics under consideration ; to • follow o,hich would be impraXtaattle, we therefore cootent ourselves with 3 , general . display of: thq leading points. rrs'tlie outset his Lordship noticed, that ha was that day to have waited on the Minister of the Country upon the sulljed It would he in the ' recollation of the he observed, that some weeks ago he broUght forward the. , present topics to the consideration of their Lordships; ,since that period, as he hadinentinned his intention of skiing, he. had been to his estate, and among his tenantry,• whOse intentions he sounded as to their coining for. • ward voluntaiily in defence of theirCountryihe found thr.n. on'this head, patriotic and full of energy as he , totild wish, not,w,as such- a spirit ,confined to his own tenantry ; the inhabitaots of the neighbour.. log parts of Wiltshire seemed animated with the eistsitl% fitting and impulse : A numher of men, t t h e amount of between 'z and soon, appeared will ing t,t enrol, and to place themselves under his corn. tttatul; the measures he' took in consepumce, and' what Murk, him in the way of argument upon the. aiobjecl, he should presently state. The Noble Forl proceeded to obset ve,ilhit so impressed wits he with the, sentiatchts he 1; d ,141 rd on a former occasion on these 'topics, that he solicited and had the honour of obtaining an audience of Ids Sovereign : He there deliVeretTalotter to His Majesty, containing his sen. 6.aents respeCtirig the defence of the Country, anti this'Letter he took the liberty to accompany with a variety of notes illustrative and explanatory upon the subjeft. However, notwithstandieg he took these steps', and afterwards made the repres,entation et other (patters, where. he thought 'heat Most, likely to produce the desire's! 'effett, no Military Committee or Council was appointed. The Noble Earl then adverted to the steps taken by him to represent the matter to His f(oyal, Highness. the Commander in Chief,. and thwe representations in. eluded the affair of the Williegness of his tenantry, Sic. He thought such at laudable and ardent spirit thc old not he suffered to cool. He therefore; we . believe, principally in a letter to Colonel Clinton, the Secretary of His Royal Highness p represented ' the circumstanees,, and in the quarter which he thought the most regular anti most likely to accord • with, his . wi3ll on the subjeti. He made 'inquiries, this applicatioo, as to the 'means of disciplinhig these, of providing them with arms, and to learn Where they should apply for ; ammunition. He had waited once or, twice on the Commander, in Chief, in the isopeof' obtaining an interview on thcsubjat, but,,,as it ; turned our, without effat. On one of theae : occasions he 'understood the Noble Secretary of State awas then conferring with his Royal High. netts on a sobjeCt certainly of the highest import. once, In consegneoce of what took place s he was Induced to trouble His Royal Highness's Secretary with the. Letter above alluded to, and from which he read Some exttads. To these representations he'received no answer.' This circumstance, how. ever, never led bins to harbour an idea the least diirerpettful of, the Commander, in Chief; on the contrary, he was well convinced of the talents and 4Shitialty• of Ilia Royal Highness in the executitin of. his arduous and important pace; but his Well.eon. olered opinion was, andit was this principally in. t3ge<l hint to come forward to Parliament upon the alibi" that it was totally out of the power of any one individual, horrever exalted his professional merit; or extensive his powers, to attend, in the reserit . circumstances,of theConntry, and with such irprecedentedly numerous force on foot, to ail the necessary funaion's which: their diration and command regniretts . was aettiated by no eon shieratiou whatever derogatory of the competence alid ability of bis Royal highness, or wish ,to int» pede the measures of ilia .Maje,4o Government, or of hostility to the present Ministers, He thought tnoq favourably elf the first,: wished to'give every tncihtty io his power, to the second, and support to the tht!,:d. - was iris mute of its being impossible for one individual adequately to discharge these important ftindions which induced him to come for. ward. It may be„ alledged against his preposition, that his Royal. Highness - was sufficiently assisted with the advice and co.operation of hie Staff, when. ever he thought fit to apply for it-rthat he had the Quarter -master General, and the Adjutant Ge. neral, to recur to whenever he thought necessary. Respedably as he might think those offices filled, he was of opinion the arduous and extensive duties of their own separate departments, was sufficient for the exertion of their powers. 'ln considering these topics, his Lordship observed, he.was unavoidably led to the repetition of much of what he had ad. vanced on a former occasion on the same bead. The experience of the benefits of the Military; Council in France, which led to their brilliant and repeated Continental vidoties, should be considered by their Lordships.. That Committee or Council consisted of but few members, but it was composed of the most intelligent military men in France: Carnot was 'one of its leading Members. Their elevation of the well known General float was a striking circumstance : while yet a Serjeant of Grenadiers and a very young man, that Officer pre. tented a Memorial to the Committee, respelling the best means of terminating the War in La Ven. dee, which struck the Committee as being so prep. neat with Sound sense and military genius, that they represented to Robespierre, who 'then had the chief dirediou of afrairsi the expediency of elevating Hoche to command. lie was accordingly very rapidly promoted, was.soon after chosen to com. mand in La Vender, where it was well known how he conduded himself, and afterwardachosen to,cOm., mand the -projeded expedition to Ireland, where,. had. he -landed with a ,farce exceeding twenty thousand men, their Lordships 'would conceive what might have been done, when sn much was. achieved in .that Island by Humbert, an Offices, infetior in talent and enterprise, at the head onlyof nine hundred or a thousand 'men. With respell to the appointment of'a Military Council for the assistance of the Commander in Chief in . this Country, he scarcely knew how it could be objeded to, when it was considered that many of. the leading Offices of the State had Boards or CotMcils to assist their de. liberations. For instance, the . First Lord ,of sh e AdMiralty had a Board of Commissioners to assist him: The Noble Lord on the Woolsack had the Judges to recur to for assistance in his delibcrations. The Prime Minister himself had the assistance and advice of the Cabinet Council; ant so it wail in se. venal other cases. Why then should the Military Commander in Chief be'alone deprived of the assist ance and advice Of his Cooncil ? It was by. no mean's his (the Noble Lord's) idea that the ',opera. tioos of His' Royal Highness should be in the least shackled or contraaed by the Military Cisurica, or even that they should possess the least controul over him. !le could recur to them fur assistance or ad. vice, but would beat full liberty td follow that ad. vice or not. However, in the present 'cireum. stances of the Country, he ,deemed it inure ne cessary that the Military Coirirnander in' Chief should have assi s tance and advice, than any other of the Officers he had alluded to. Wi t h t h em an error of a false step 'Might be ea s ily retrieved. In Military operations such might be Of a foal tendency.--4his litivecver,, important as is was,was not theonly topic on which he had to ttoubl , !, their but one .point lw hid he .had advert Lordships ; to was of uncommon delicacy -..l-1 e sltiiid there. fore nut comment upon it, a mere allthion wOuld,be sufficient—He meant time offer of service which he understood had been made h'y an illuitrious : in considering thi s quest i on , ii wou ld be Petson.age proper ta recoiled that. Hi s Roy a l. Highness was. Col. of a regiment of Cavalry, and had no higher rank in, the Army—a rank, which, how4ver, he had held seventeen or eighteen years—if called therefqre, he might. be placed under the command of ant ffieer greatly his junior. ---Alluding to the great import ance of the lif e o f t hi s ill ustr iotis'per. sonage,,it its be recolleded with pleasure, that there were other Membem of that August Vamily whom same, were ornaments of that House, and an, hon o ol7 to their Conotry.—On the sObjed of Appoint ments to Command, and projeded, plans of Defeoce, the Noble Earl made some obieesia., tions.—ln the former, he had to regret the.onaiss. *ion of an officer so well etualifiedeas his,noble friend (the .Earl of .MotaaLisdio commanded with so much honour to himselG,and advantage to his court. try in AMerica, where, at : the age of 25, lie perform. ed the most brilliant and. heroic aCtions. America, he observed, was a country, from its peculiar nature and th e difficult situations with which it abounded, fit to form good Officers : many were trained there the -War before last. The superior knowledge which our opponents naturally possessed of the Country, ,obliged even the inferior officers to Vance with the greatest caution and circumspedion. With yelped to the eredion of works at chosen . , 00ts in, the vicinage of the capital, and the forma. tion of lines in other parts of the country, he made some remarks. 01 defence, by the mode of lines, he seemed-to thilik unfavourably; he scarcely'ever anew an instance wherein lines, especially if they ran to any extent, were not ultimately forced. He was proceeding to comment upon these topies, upon which he thought some explanation should be given, when Lord HOBART rose and observed, that if the' Noble Rill thought proper to proceed in such a a line of observation and discussion, with respect to which he would use his discretion.-.he should feel it incumbent on him to mov.e the Standing Qrders for the .exclusiOn of strangers.—'—h shoultt b e re. ,collected by the Noble Earl, that with reaped to much of. what he had latterly said, he could not fairly expect to be answered by his Majesty's Mi_ nisters-The present circumstances w ere o b v i ous l y such, as that 11/littisters'could not Consisten t ly w i t h their duties, say what they intended to do, or not to do. He would therefore parit' to the discretion of the Noble E ar l, b ut if t he' latter p e rsisted, be should be under the necessity of Moving to enforce . the order. 'The Earl of Sorroui and Lord llou Aar_ spoke iin explanation—after which, The Earl of SUPEOLK proceeded to bbwrve, that he should then have to call the atiention of th sir Lordships to t topic of a different naturi, but Which, at the same time, was imp vrtant to the ge.. neral subjed of the Defence of the Country. What he-alluded to, was the condu& of the City of Lon. dun dn this head , : their Lordships would recoiled, that when he last addressed them on the subjed, he alluded - to certain Letters he had received, one of which contained some strong assertions, and which, if true, merited the most serious consideration. — His Lordship then read some Extracts from the Let. ter in question, and which seemed to contain some severe strictures on the condud of those in power and authority in the City, with respect to the share to be taken by the. Wropolis in the General Defence of the Country ; the original proportion of Militia to be furnished, by the City of London, it stated, as we could coiled, to be 12 or 14.,000 men ; this force it said was commuted in 1 79 6 for two small Regiments of Militia, of, 600 men each. It no. ticed the pairiotism and energy displayed by the Volunteers in the first instance, who came - forward to the -number of nearly 60,000, anti declared their . . . readiness to serve in any part the Kingdom ; this 'spirit was damped by the conduft of the Chief Ma. gistrate, &c. who ordained that the whole force should be divided into four grand divisions, and should be ready to aet in case of Insurredion or Rebellion, but in this Decree it appeared the word " Invasion" was never once mentioned. The letter in other parts appeared to reflex on the conduft Of the Lieutenancy. of London with respell to the quota to be furnished by the City, and comparing it with the conduft of the provincial Deputy Lieu. tenants, the former seemed, to proceed in such a way as if they were ignorant such' an aft as the Levy en Masse existed. Very, different was the line of conduft observed. by the City of London, in the memorable days of that illustrious Princess Elizabeth ; it then came forward with spirit, ala. criti, .and guided by motives of the pnrest pa. triotism. Ships to three tim.-s the number of those required by Government . as the' proportlon to be furnished by the City, were speedily furnished and equipped. Men' to three times the number required as its quota, were raised and prepared for service, in addition to which was a pecuniary contribution exceeding so,oool. an. immense stun in those days. He hoped, however, the present exertions of the Metropolis would he commensurate , to the great stake she has at issue, and in an increased propor tion to her present wealth and population.' After recapitulating a few of his leading positions i n favour of the establish m e nt o f ti' Military. Council,. • his Lordship moved to the following effed: " That an humble Address he presented to . His Majesty, praying that he would be graciously.pleased to ap. point a Military Council of General Officers, and such other persons as His, , Mgjesty should think pro. per, and which His Majesty may have , Tecolisse to for , advice, and which should also communicate with. Hit Royal Highness the Commander in Chief from day I to day it n e cessary ,' an d also ivith.His.Majesty's ' . Ministers. On the question being put; . • Lord HO B ART rose and observed, that on such an occasion he should certainly have to trouble, their Lordships but foi a very short time. He had heard the motion, respeaing which he must say, in general h ut distind.terms, thai,in his opinion, it it was intended to impede the military disposition and operations of the Cortimander in Chief, .no pro. reeding could, be more likely 'to effect it, than the. very measure recommended by the motion.. Under• this convidion it was certainly his duty to resist it. The present organization of the Staff was such as to Etiswer every purpose, and while the arrange ments made under the superintendance of his Royal Highness, and which met with universal approba tion must clearly evince, the measure recommend' ed 'must - have the • injurious' effed he described or else be. • nugatory, which, in the case of its possessin g no controul, it must incontestably be. Wi t h' respect to the communication made by the Noble Earl relative to the disciplin ing and arming his tenants, he had to inform hint he took a wrong cuutse—•the regular mode would be to have represented the matter to the Lord Lieutenant of the County, who would have duly • communicated It to the Secretary of State—such was the reg u l ar c h annel ; the cfteumstance of the Noble E a rl h av i ng rece i ved no answer, was no proof ,that his l etters were not read, and their contents duly considered. H owever t h e affairs had nothing to do with -, the department of the Commander in Chief: Besides his. Staff, that Illustrious Officer had the advice an 4 communication of the District Gene, . rals, who were Ltlly competent, from their local knowledge and admitted abilities to afford it. In addition to which GOvetnment were in possession of the opinions of the various Generals who corn. mantled last war upon all those important topics. With regard to what had falleo from the Noble Earl relative to the conduft of the City of London, on the present occasion, it may be matter of just con iderarion, how far the contents of such letters as he had quoted f rom may b e true, —and of the pro. priety of making their contents public,Much stress had better not be laid ,00 such communica.. tion.—ln his opinion, the Metropolis Was,making every f a ir and praiticable exertion in the general Defence—and should the hour of trial ever coinei it was his confident opinion, the City of London. would not be found backward. He had to entreat 661 Lordships pardon for detaining theM longer than he at first • tntended. As — to the MotiOni it should certainly have his decided negative. The Earl of SUFFOLK spoke shortly in expla,.. natioh, and repeated some of his former observa. lions in favour of the appointment of ,a Military Council, which he begged the Noble Secretary to recoiled was proposed by him, ,to have no controul, Whatever over the Comma n der in Chief, who would b e at liberty to, follow its advice or not. The In. stitution, he ,proposed would .be of "essential service even in time 'of peace ; then, on such an occasion as the present, how necessary must be its adoption? The .Each of B RIDG EW ATER in a very low tone of voice made a few observations in support of what fell from the Noble Secretary of 'State, particularly WithrespeEl to the a d vantages to b e de. peed from the communications of the different nerals. He could not, he said, give a silent dissent from the Motion. • . The question was then pot, when the Earl of Smot.it's proposition was rejefted without a Di. visiast^; and immediately after, their Lordships ad. journed. till to.fitottow. • 'WAILS. 41Ittirlith avg. . Hamburgh I PRICE• OP STOCKS, THIS DAY AT YWELVI O'CLOCK. COHSOIS . . Pali , ' Oinn. - - 91a9idist THE SUN. 301.014 ‘llll5 pietas lALIIUM •UDSAT , .;• .• LONDON, AUGUST g, itio3. LITTERS received from Dublin this morning, of the sth inst. state quietness to prevail in every quarter. On that day• the famous Redniva had been brought to Dublin. He was apprehended 1,1 the Korth. Cbr Sunday evening an alarm waagiven at Ports• mouth, of an Enemy's Fleet being in the Channel , Fleet being seen from the Hills •of the Isle of Wight, which could not answer the signals. It was supposed it might be on Enemy's F leet, every preparation was therefore made io the Gar rison; and it is highly satisfaaory to know, that the utmost zeal was displayed by all classes °I People to rei'are for a vigorous defence. An 0- count was conveyed by the Telegraph yesterday morning, which occasioned a report in town of an , Enemy's Fleet being in the Channel, which, ever, was little attended to. The kegulirs and Militia were underarms In Portsmouth Garrison all Sunday night, and the yo.' lunteers were ready to fly to arms upon a Vccc u/ ", certed signal, that of. three guns quickly follovn. one another. The Fleet was probably one a (14it ' own from the West Indies, that was ignorant of the Signals established along the Coatit, but . satis• faCtory intelligence respeaing it readied Po' tsm" 111 till yesterday morning. His Majesty's Postmaster-Genend have given no.. tice of their intention to send the Mails burgh twice_ instead of Once a week v vit. on Tues. days and Fridays. • On SundAv e vening, about h alf p ast seve n . o'clock, the 'ROYAL FAMILY arrived on the Tit.. race at Windsor.- The, company assembled hro nged so witl 11 L " 5 wa s ex tremely - -numerous , and they thatthe it was inlllll greatest difficulty they could pass and re p ass. Among , the Company we noticed the Coun testef at AYLESBURY and ELY, Lady CA a ot. t NE DAtitst) Lady J. THYNNE, Miss Go L . ov,v writs', Mi l l STANHOPE, Earl and Cotinte.,4 of UN R I UGE 0 " Family, ; Lord and Lady Bcrs•rox anti LAY WALSINGIiAbf rod Daughters, 'Lord and 11191011 N the Earl and Countess oI'ROSL IN, CI , SNITD and feamily,-'4it WiLLIAM CLAYToN A nd Family, M r . VAASPETART and Family, Miss V-istr. and a great number of , o thers of the Nobility and persona of.distinetion. Yesterday_ morning HIS MAJESTY-, and the Princess SO, H tA, attended by Lady J. Twirrcer,Ge nerals CARTWRIGHT, and plump' g , and M i no r D ES SRQW, took an airing on ,horseback in ; sor Great Park. The Princesses' AMELIA) stw SoPHIA OGLOUCESTER, attended by the Com oPs . tom L a dy C. Doßmaa, and Mo. STMOite took an airing in a sociable, through. the•iihinul* tions, by Virginia Water. • Hu MAJESTY and the Princesses AUG /M', ELlzAstPf, , and MARY, honoured the Earl RP'''. Countess of that toot with a visit at their ho i u s z e ,„' in Peasecod.street, Windsor. The Staffora"i Band attended, and played several favourite pieces' - - music. et Xesterday morning the Stafrorcishir e had a Grand Field-day, in Windsor Little ParX', 0 . Yesterday the Oxfordshire Militia marched 01 Windsor, on their way to Dover. I It- is at present intended that His MAJErtY - on Thursday next go in state to the H ouse of Peas, to adjourn both Houses of Parliament. It is now reported u st Mr. YolKe i 5 to s , (l l c i ; ceed Lord PeLHAM as Secretary of State for t be Home pepartment, anti that Mr. BRAIGe t° cl Secretary at War. Several other dlia-"gts' iccor ing . o report, will take plaCe soon aft er the pro gation of Parliament. - • _ M. MATTHIEssts, one °false princ i p al Mer :e chants of Hamburgh, set out•ftom that city on t io 3,90 h oh, for London, being commissioned by t o ' t _ k___i9vernment . there to make representations court, res . peding the blockade of the .ElLe.' r , accompanied • r ocil by M. De Hass,- the celehrated.Auho A Letter from Bremen says, that when the be' an remove' the Artillery. and Horses fr." 1,1 Hanover, the KING of PitusstA interfered, and ' f i e consequence of a remonstrance from him, they °recut stout until the return of a Messenger who WO l oir to the Chief Comul. eery Frnm Havre de. Grace, it is stated that thousand men, on board of a fleet corisi4t log of g u o , boats and , other vessels of various sleontoin!twthe. sail' in - a dire lion , as nearly as riisibl e ; °l' near Sussex Coast.--" They are to land, if posOot Brighton. From Boulogne,' Calais, Dnilkir" N. ; tend, and Holland, the :several are to Piny, reed to, the opposite shores, without making...At illation during -the passage; nor are they .to any attempt to assist each other, in c ase of an r a t he by the British fleet, but to proceed direalY ur English coast. th'ra i• fi)r 'One of the French Prizes sent to De p the most part laden with cutlasses and knivelli°lll3. singular construaion, somewhat siMilar , to a tin "i n g hook used in hedging, or to a gardener's Pr,ocket knife. They shut up in t he manner of !, in knives. The bladei and handles ail fo r ! ille ,..iser , manner uncommonly strong, and' v er y lion is requiSite in wing diem.