The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-11 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF X ING's BENCH—Ti ESDAY, MAY 10.
PORTLAND TRESS-GANG.
Lieutenant Hastings, and J. F. Morgan, mas'er's.
mate, of his Majesty's ship L'Agle, were brought
up upon &Leaf corny: to be bailed. They
committed to Dorchester gaol under a warrant.
the Coroner, standing charged with murder. The fiefs
upon which they were so charged were briefly as fol-
lows : the Lieutenant and the other gentleman went
on shore on the isle of Portland, on the 2cl of April
last, tor the purpose of impressing seamen; they pro-
ceeded to the village of Easton, from thence to Chis•
well, where the mob assembled to oppose them.
Captain NVolfe, of I.' A g./e, was also with them,
and lie attempted to seize a seaman ; in the
scuffle his pistol went off, and immediately some
of the mob who were armed with musquets, tired at.,
the press-gang and wounded four of the men. the •
marines in their company immediately fired in re.,
turn by which some of the mob were killed. The
affidavits of Captain Capt. Wolfe, Lieutenants Smith
and Salmon, and of several of the crew present,
were all read, from which it appeared that the mob
had behaved with great violence, and that the press•
gang did not fire until they had been first fired at,
and otherwise greatly insulted.
From a defect in form the depositions taken beford
the coroner could not be read.
Mr. Easkisti: shortly addressed the Court, an,'
observed, that although the Coroners' Inquest hal
returned a verdiet of murder, it was impossible tint
any Grand Jury could find such a bill, upon the
fitets disclosed by the affidavits before the Court.
The Court directed the Defendants to be admitted
to bail, themselves in 4001. and four sureties in
1001. each. The sureties being immediately given,
they were enlarged.

The States of Germany are beginning to follow
up the new arrangements rendered necessary by the
final settlement of the Indemnities. After the arri-
val of the official intelligence at Carlfruhe of the
ratification of the conclusum of the INet on the :24th
of March, the MA NG It AV 1: of BAD 6: N alai the
Durck: of Weartmaceo assumed the title of Elec-
tor, secured to them by the definitive ratiti.:ation.
At Abbeville, in France, the following calamitous
circumstance took place on the 2d of May. As the
jailor of the town, in the execution of his duty, was
shutting the old gates of the city, after banishing
woman of loose morals, they suddenly fell off the
hinges on the crowd, killed six, and dangerously
wounded four persons.
Last Saturday morning the Brighton fishermen
were placed under considerable alarm, by the ni 11
approach of an East-Indiaman, and two cutters, to
the shore of that town; but were soon relieved from
their apprehensions, on discovering that the
mentioned ship was proceeding_ to land her passe..
gers. Forty came on shore, and immediately en-
gaged post-chaises for their conveyance to London.
The Indium:in was afterwards boarded by the crew
of one of the cutters, who impressed eighteen of hex
hands, for his Majesty's service.
Yesterday se'nnight the I lastings fishermen again
brought into that port, upwards of three ton, weight
of souls only ; besides large quantites
This abundance of delicious fish was c.inglit on he
newly discovered ground, to which the tisherni n
have given the name of niltnlnd Ground. The
Hastings men, (who it seems are now become better
acquainted with the rocks) for their kaoxl•
this valuable ground, are indebted to sum. F.
men, by whom it was first discovered.
Last Weihaesday, WILLIAM MARSHALL., a 1«1
employed to ride with the mail to and from Mid-
hurst and Arundel; was taken before the Earl tiC
EGacnotsr, charged with quitting the mail, Jo.ur-
ing, and wilfully mis-spending his time on the
t.) the detriment of the service, and by his lastisinp
committed to' the House of CorreAion, at Pettvonli,
to hard labotr, fair the sinu:e4 out month.

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1111.7.1.
(Conehula ham our Paper at Yesterday.)
France will, without doubt, furnish these neces-
ary funds, a:xi will be weh indemuitied, by secur-
ring to herself an impregnable tot tress. The troops
furnished by the Order, will, assuredly, be those
most attached to the much Govetnment.—Many
additional proofs will be produced to confirm
our assertion, that to give up hlaltie to the Or-der
of St. John of Jerusalem is, in fact, consigning it
over to the Freuch.—And can any one possibly
doubt, that the principal objed of the Frein.ll Go-
vernment in making peace, was not to obtain pos-
session of Malta? t.iince on the possession of Malta'
depend the existence of India to Great ,Critain, her
alliance with itussia, we tc,urity of S.eily, the -I
commerce .of the Isledi•crianean, of the Adriatic,
of the Levant, and an uncontronied sway -over
every sireumyacent cotuttry.—Toe French on
in tassession of Mina, SiciO, we too well know,
ria • hotantly tall an easy prey to them. To de-
fend Siciiy in ail licr pumas, would
require a large and a better disciplined in my than
the Sovereign of that kingdom can ever suppo:t.—
"When the French were in possession or Malta, and
isail no idea that they would one day he driven out
of r, they openly ii..clareel in 11611 (its our newspa-
rt., and m panipincts), in letters, arid w public ha-
raatrocs, ti,ocstent of their views :Ilia tl.eir projects
en suture compiest. They sleu.thisailogtl, " that
they could procure from the Black SCR and the
.Asiriatic, timber, Inas' s and all sorts of naval
41 a mach cheaper rate than from the Baltic an.l
outer pails of the Nun tn. 'I ha-. they consiJered the
frets ay.! ports of Bussia. and the contemp:ible Go-
v. raineut of. TurLev, as t t ,endent upon them ; and
that, at any Cline, the, could diatte to than condi-
tions of vasalat:,e. Tien KllS;sil never wouni aban-
dm her projea of expelling the T .r .s from Europe,
and of founding a new Creeks are. That Rthisia has
always treated, as friends, those nations who, in
*hi. point, entered into her projcas; ;tad as ene-
mies, tnose who ventured to oppose them ; inaeing
every thing subservient to this one consideration.
That, is consequence, France could dittate to Russia,
sad detach her from her alliance with Great Britain.
1. tt the formidable Russian navy in the Black.sea,
wilted to that of Greece, though it would be too
feeble to cope with the French fleet, when united
with it, as it always must be, would be an over-
match fur the navy of Great Britain ; which, on no
occasion, would be in a condition to detach a
squadron of sufficient magnitude to enter the
Mediterranean, as she must always keep up a suffi-
cient force to guard her own coasts." All this have
tin y printed both in and out of Malta, never ima-
gining that they would be obliged to abandon the
tslaniL They concluded that the Mediterranean
was exclusively theirs; and that from Egypt they
weald be able to send an array to conquer India, by
vt:aciong it in various points."—Malta again placed
in the Innis of the French, no power on earth will
he able to expel them. There are no measures,
hnsvevcr violent, that this artful natior, deterred by
prinople of justice or humanity, will not take
to obtain tiieir übjea I such as driving the inha-
bitants out of the tortresses, disarming and putting
to death 411 those whom they suppose enemies,
Ind, perhaps (as they have already once pro-
posed) to send the nholc population of Malta to
Fiance or to the Coast of Barbary, and to re-peo-
pl-.. the island with French. 1 his threat, with
which the inhabitants were well acquainted, was one
of the principal reasons which first induced them to
take up arms, and many reasons have we for believ-
ing, that it would have been carried into execution.
if their Affairs in Egypt had turned out prosperously.
—With respett to the guarantee of this or that
poxer, but too well is our island acquainted with
the French and the Order, not to be convinced of
the falhoility of such a proposition. The first war,
whether of long or short duration, puts an end to it
entirely. If even a third power were to occupy
some parts of the fortresses, the troops would be cor-
rupteu by French money and French principles, and
immense are the stuns drat would be wisely eepended
for that purpoe. fhe military posts are dependent
ne upon the other. We are able to point out the ut-
ter inipossibility of occupying a part without being
in possession of the whole. We can clearlydemon.
strate how theycan and will obtain their several ends.
We canmake itevid..nit, that there is no security for
the ii habitants, unless British troops are placed in pos-
session of all the fortresses, and unless the administra-
tion injustice is placed in the hands of a British Civil
Government. We wish not to enter into the profound
views of Cabinets, but we be to bepermitted solely to
observe, that if France and -Russia had no other in-
teutions than the re-establishment of the Order in
it, pristine splendour and independence, why have
they not chosen a place where they could be more
iadependent ? Why have they considered the pos-
session of Malta as necessary to the re-establishment
of the Order? It is but too evident to every one ca-
pable of refies!tion, that Malta is not to be taken out
of the hands of the English, for the pu of re-
maining lung in the hands of the Order oriZe. John.
(Signed) The Deputies, and all the Repre-
seatatives of the City, Towns,
Villages, &c.
MALTA, Oaeler 22, Inol.
No.
Lauer from the Maltur Drinitits to Lord llohri, cn
date arrival a, Luadiai.

My LORD,
We have the hcmour of announcing to your
Lordship, o tr arrival in this capital? in quality of
Deputies from the Maltese nation, appointed as soon
as the intelligence of the Preliminary Treaty of
Peace reache&that island. Happy shall we be, my
Lord, in the •opportunity id laying before your
Lordship the truth and justice of the demands with
which we are entrusted. It is this hope, and the
confidence we have in the equity of the British Go•
vernment, which have conduded us hither.—We
pray your Lordshie' to have the goodness to inform
us, in the course of three days from the date Of this
letter, when it wEI be convenient to your Lordship
-to receive the born tge of the respecifal attachment
vrtb which we hive the honour to be, &e. &c.-
• • (t:iglea) 'llse Deputies, &c.
Litadvs, ri. 4, 191.
pin. W.
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m Dipiascappirtal iy Eorramilladrt Co,:rers
hold de M dad Goss, edwoisiiiii djetei• 1%41 of
lieoto444si Rilostatativis of om 7ises or

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Burgh, hat tit Iletieur kforr 1,;. Txer
kw) Lard HuLart, his Britatou Aiqjr ty's
rimer f,r ihr War Drtatimus, the joi,olutosT
morrtl, according to the itp:r.i7r,4, rac vtd
tLeas_froga Co4r.i.ltents un me ;.in day of A'Qvem-
i.r 1301.
•

siv LORD,
It is with the most lively Anion, and the utmost
astonishment, that the people if Malta have learnt
the severe and unmerited fate to which they are
destined, iv; the return of the Order of St. kiln of
Jerusalem to the island, of Maita and Gum). The
defeClion and treason of which this Order was guilty,
will form an epoch in the annals of the world, as
striking as that by *which we are again thrown
under Its despotic dominion, after it had abandoned
us to an army, unfaithful to all its peomises and en-
gagenients. The sentence which impartial posterity
will pronounce upon these transaetions, will not,
assuredly, be creditable to the age in which we live,
and already we foresee the complaints and re-
proaches with which we should be loaded by our
'Apt posterity, were we to permit an unworthy
timidity to impose silence upon us, before the just
an 3 magnanimous tribunal to which we have, hap-
pily, the opportunity of appealing.—We shall
pass over, my Lord, the many motives which we
have of resentment against the Order of Saint John
of Jerusalem. The bird which has been spilt,
the death of about twenty thousand of our fellow
citii.en, after scenes of the mos heart-rending
misery, -the expences we incurred in the first months
of the revolution to maintain our battalions, and the
lo's six millions of crowns, sufficiently prove the
fal..choJd of the .n.rocioas calumnies heaped upon us
by the author of the Reply to the Manifetto rf the Prior
of Recreia. The imposture carries Its own conta-
didion with it. No one is ignorant, that the plan of
the inva•ion of Malta was projected in Paris, and con-
fided to the principal Knights of the Order, resident at
Malta. Letters in cyphers were incessantly passing
and repassing, without, however, alarming the sus-
picions of the deceased Grand Master de Mohan, or
of one Grand Master Hompesei.- —Asti' these itre-
fragable 1.“9,, thus hastily cited, consider, my Lord,
whether the :slalt.e.e people could behold withoat
astonishment and terror, the authors of all the
miseries which have befallen them, again set foot
in their country, and again domineer over them.
Were we, my Lord, to remain silent, the ashes,
still warm, of our brave relatives who fell to libe-
rate and to roper their country, would call upon
us more effectually to defend our rights, and the
cause of truth and of justice.—Yes, my Lord, we
dare to repeat it : the Knights of the Order of
Saint John of Jerusalem can never be re-establish-
ed in Malta, without an infringement of the legiti-
mate rights of the august descendants of Charles
the sth, the rights ot the Maltese, and without
exposing
.them to fresh conihdt. The Maltese,
ever distinguished for their attachment to their
antient Sovereign, have, in these latter times,
proved that they ought equally to be so, for their
love of justice, and their bravery.—They can rea-
dily bury all their resentments ; but they cannot
help being desirous, that the retainers they have made
may not be forgotten. As a proof of these sacrifices,
may we be permitted, my Lord, to instance the
peaceable resignation of tare Maltese to the capitu-
lation which the British General made with M. Van-
buis. The blood we had spilt, our exertions, our
✓bs', and all our interests, were either forgotten or
411.1pOed. We beheld with exemplary moat:rat on, as
every one is forced to acknowledge, the French lay
down their arms on the glacis, only to load themselves
with the remainder of our spoils; and the faithful and
virtuous Maltese were reduced to the necessity of
envying the treatment of their rebellious and cri-
minal brethren. Would we could conceal from our
descendants the particulars of a capitulation which,
at the same time, wounded our rights and rendered
us miserable ! It is true, that the presence and
wisdom ot Captain Ball, to whom we preferred our
complaints, contributed greatly to alleviate on Sa•
crifices ; but circumstances not having .econded

either our expetlations or necessities, wecal.n it, my
Lord, dissemble the unfavonraide impressions which the
preliminaries of peace havegiven us of a government, to
which we have ever been anxious of she ing our at-
tachment, our fidelity and our preference. We know,
my Lord, that it is not for us to influence the politi-
cal operations of nations. Nature has placed Malta
to be considered for her situation and strength, and
not to dictate arrangements to other countries. But
still, my Lord, it may be -prujent not to pass over
her numerous population. Russia and France, as well
as the other great powers of Europe, are too just and
too enlightened to censure the Maltese for the steps
they have taken, and ior their opposition to the re-
establishment of an Order, which, from its despotism,
its defection, its treachery, and its depravity of
manners, can never inspire con. deuce nor reconcile
differences.—Nevertheless, my Lord, if from una-
voidable and impiTions circumstances, the Maltese
must undergo the pain and mortification of being
separated from the Empire of his Britannic Majesty;
if, for the tranquillity of Europe, the Islands of
Malta and Gozo must remain in a state of neutrality,
we beseech yon, my Lord, in the name ot our con-
stituents ; and of all that is most dear and sacred
among men ; in the name of every law, human and
divine, in the name of the tau of nation and of jus-
tice, to Supplicate his Britannic Majesty to deign to
employ his effectual and powerful mediation, with
the other powers, in order that the Islands of Malta
and Gozo may be left in their independence, under the
mutual guarantee of Great Britain and I ranee; and
'hit they may not, after their inhabitants Lave shed
their blood, and expended their substance, be consi-
dered as a conquered country. Yon well know, my
Lord, that as deputies from the Maltese people, we
cannot dispense with laying before your Excellency,
the wishes and intentions of our nation. In citing
a portion of the crimes-of the Order of Saint John
ot Jerusalem, we have nut merely been desirous of
giving vent to our feelings, but ot justifying, in the
taco of the whole universe, our (tonal opposition and
vigorous resistance, if it should crer dare to re-appear
in our dwellings—still dyed with the blood which it
caused to flow. Condescend, my Lord, to exert
your influence with his Britannic Majesty, in favour
of justice, truth, humanity, and of a nation worthy
of a better fate. Deign. to accept the homage of
our respetlful attachment.
(Signed) The' Deputies, •
TESTAIZIRATA. CASTAGNA.
Assts RICCAVE6 MALtA.
Asa MALtA. CACHJA.
topildte, Jr.. 7, Upper Berkley Street,
March 1, 1802.

I.

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No. V.
Extraa of a Letter written by the Ifeputia of 3f,alta
and Gaze ,heir Lusatian:nu, dated London, `2ll
of March
MOST ILLI:STRIOUS SEIGNIORS,
We arrived here the Ist nit. The 4th we wrote the
inclosed letter [No. to Lord Hobart, the mi-
nister, stating we were arrived in this capital in the
charafter of deputies to represent the demands of our
fellow-citizens. In consequence of this letter, by
means of t.lir Alexander BallAtheMinister made known
to the deputation, that they would do well to pro-
cure their departure from London, as soon as possible,
adducing for reasons, that their remaining would
give jealousy to France, and thereby impede the
conclusion of the definitive articles of peace, and
that he could not, fur reasons of state, receive and
hear them in his ?fifty, but that he would permit
them to come in private to his &use, where he would
hear them. NVe were received by the Minister un
the sth of February, and he heard, with patience, all
the reasons for which we were sent to London, par-
ticularly to protest to the British government, in the
name of our nation, against the cession of our Island
to the Order of St. John, and all the reasons for which
we do not recognize the right of the Order to the
dominion of our island, and the firm and effe&ual
resistance which we were resolved to make, to op-
pose the return of the Order into our mother. coun-'
try. —To this representation the Minista- answered,
that the English Government would " take care of
the happiness" of the Maltese, and that the result
would prove to us, that the return of the Order in
Malta would be of advantage, by the precautions
which the English Government would take to gua-
rantee the people of Malta. Yesterday, with the ap-
probation of Sir Alexander Ball, we presented the
inclosed Memorial No. '2, [No. IV. in this series]
and wait his answer.—lt is one day reported that
there will be war, and the next that peace will be
concluded, &c. We are &c.

-----
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PLYMOUTH, :1 AY ..
Yesterday arrived a mail from the L.2eward
Islands, brought to Falmouth by the Chesterfield
packet in 2'2 days.
This morning, before the Mail Coach arrived,
about half past eight, a private express arrived at
the Post Office, to a Merchant here, from his friends
in London. The express left London on Friday
night, twelve o'clock. It contained an order to
stop any ships belonging to their concern, if they
arrived here, till further orders, as the French Am-
bassador, General Andreossi, had received his let-
t.:rs of recall. The express was only thirty-two
hours and a half on the road. The news flew like
lightning, and the Post Office was early surrounded
with hungry politicians. At length the Post opened,
and an Evening Paper was received, containing the
late piece of intelligence of the idea of war being
likely to commence again.
This morning the Canopus, of 74 guns, made
signals to go into Cawsand Bay, for Ha/maze,
which were answered. By ten o'clock, she was
safe moored in the Bay.
Last night were warped down from the river
Tamar, off the North Jetty, the following sloops of
war, to be surve:•ed and got ready for commission,
viz. La Moucherwi, of 16 guns, and La Fleche, of
16 guns, hoiii captured from the French in the
late war.—Sailed from Catwater for Cork, to be
quartered in Ireland, the Warrior, ordnance trans-
port, with the dismounted troopers of three troops
of horse artillery : off the Sound, as she stood out,
she fell in with her consort laying to, with the
horses and artillery carriages, Ice. and both pro-
ceeded with a fine wind at N.N.W. down Channel
for Cork. Came in from Guernsey with men, a
cutter, supposed to be the Nimble, Lieutenant J.
Coghlan.
PORTSMOUTH, I<i AY 9.

Arrived his Majesty's cutter Pigmy, of 11. guns,
Lieut. White, from the westward, and remains with
his Majesty's ships as per last.
Remains at St. Helens, his Majesty's ship Am-
phora, of 32 guns, Capt. T. M. Hardy.—Wind N.
E. moderate. _ _

Lieut .William Shepheard, late commander of his
Majesty's cutters, Mutine and Pigmy, is appointed to
the command of his Majesty's brig &mask, of 14
guns, at the Nore.
Arrived the Britil, King, Bebbins, with troops
from Trinidad.
Sailed the Driver sloop of war, for Plymouth.

DEAL, NIAY 9.
Arrived and sailed for the River, the S r Edward
Hugher,Urmston, from India ; Rerpefi, Place, and
Swan, Hawkins, firm-, Oporto ; Betsey, Tolley, from
Jamaica ; Robert end Sarah, Carman, and the Syrene,
Baldry, from the Streights. Wind, N. E.

It is said in some of the papers that the island of
I.ampedosa is of no value. We do not pretend to
be able to judge of this matter. Mr. EroN, in the
Appendix to his Survey of the Turkish Empire, re-
presents this island as exceedingly fertile, capable of
easy defence. He says, that almost all round the
island there is good anchorage ; there is a fine bay,
where ships may ride in safety, and at the bottom of
the bay a creek capable of being formed into a large
excellent harbour. It was proposed to be occupied
by the Russians. The advantages of this position
are enumerated as follows
The situation of Lampedosa is the most advantageous pos..
sible; it is 100 miles from Susa in Barbary, from Giorgenti in
Sicily, and from the great port of Malta; 600 from Toulon,
from Algiers, and the entrance into the Archipelago ; from
Gibraltar, Alexandria, and Constantinople, 950 ; from Tri-
poli, 'Tunis, and the South pinta of Sicily, 160 miles.
It is the est situation of any in the Mediterranean ; in that
respect it has all the advantages of Malta for the station of a
fle.st in time of peace or war ; Leghorn is quite out of the way ;
every thing is exceedingly dear there, and the motions of the
fleet are almost immediately known in Italy and France. It
is farther from France than from the Archipelago, and is in the
pass tge of all vessels that go or come from the Levant.
In time of war, if the island should be in danger of art inva-
sion, and being attacked by a superior fleet, tne vessels sta-
tioned there may retire to Malta or Sicily &c. however a fleet
drawn up new tie shore may be protected by the land bat-:
teries
It is the best station for protecting trade. Vessels comiiag either
from the straits of Gibraltar or from the Levant nay be met by
frigates, this island bring iii the middle way.
Magazines of naval stores may be formed here from the Black
See, instead of purchasing them at enormous prices in Italy in
war time.
Provisions wilt be produced in the island, but till that is the
case, they may be lied-froth Sicily on the coast of Barbary, even
in nine of war, as Malta is supplied thence, and mure than
two-thuds of tt4. cost at Leghorn saved, &c.

~~

Friday a iiounieynian shoe-maker, who hal
been in a state of uninterrupted intoxication tin- up.
wards of a month, in consequence of some trifling
legacy being left, but which bein; exhausted, in a
state of despondency hung himself in the cellar of a
house where he had lodged,in Cloth-Fair, Smithfield;
since which time a Jury having taken a view of the
body, brought in their verdid Lunacy.

PRICE 0]

rarrLi
Rank Stock 169 7
per Cent Red..... 63 21 31
; por C. C. .. 641 31 4:4 4il
4 per Cent S 8(.1111
5 per Cent. Ann. 99/ 8i 9
per Cent. 1797.....95711
Rank 1.. Ann. 1815-16
Bank Short Ann
Imp. :3 per Cent. .... 621 21
Dittn Ann .. lO 5.161

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