The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-04-15 00:00:00

. TO CORRESPOSKNTi. •
Ribertrierrs to Mr. Foil aus wrll apirr-sr to-morr err.

THE P 14

MONDAY, APRIL 15.

We do not remember, in the case of any vacant
office, so many persons assigned by rumour to fill
it as in the present case of the First Lord of the
ADMIRALTY. Mit Kills of Sr. Viocartr and
lialowscnE,ViscountCasrussixaoss,LardsKLlTil
and Hoon,SirCharlesMl DOLrt o sand Mr. YOR LE,
have been each severally mentioned as the probable
successor of ViscOunt Mary ; but we believe, in
this selation, prejudice and party have only con-
sulted their own wit! es, except, as we have already
stated,in the case of Nit .Yu aits,whose appointment

to that high office appeet, at lean, more probal

tkan that of any other Candidate whom romo

has brought forward. This difficulty and delay prove
not only the great importance of the office, but that
the removal of Viscount Met v ts.e was an event
unexpeEled by the Minister. Had the vote of the
House of Commons been within the speculation of
Mr. l'irr, he would, no doubt, have turned his at-
tention to a successor; and, in that case, we should
have probably heard of some name mentioned with
confidence before this time. His greatest enemies
cannot refuse to Viscount MELVILLE the pos-
session of talents and industry to an extent rarely
to be found in the same person. While, then,
we rejoice at the victory of the Constitution, as
displayed in the vote of Monday, and the glo-
rious proof which the House of Commons has
given of its integrity and jealous protection of
the public purse, we regret that this proof has been
made in the person of his Lordship, and did not
fall to the lot of some man who might be better
spared. This difficulty of finding a successor to
ViscountMaLvit.ca appears to have greatly alarmed

le Ministerial Writers. They ate afraid, th. t, f
competent First . Lord of th: th
Minister must look to the ranks of Opposition, and a

the plan of a broad-bottomed Administration, coin-
posed of all the talents of Cle country, begins once
more to haunt their imaginations. They certainly

have some reason ror their feda s. The Opposition
themselves consider the present Administration as
shaken to its centre, and hope to wound Mr. Pt rTo
through the sides of Loid MELV I L LE. But much
as we should rejoice to see at the head of the Ad-
miralty the Nobleman, under woose auspices C-ie
navy of England confirmed itself in the soverelnty
of the seas, and attained a higher niche in the tem-
ple of Fame, than it ever filled before, we should
lament to find even Earl Sp es ca once more in that
high station, were his appointment to injure the
chargter ot the vote of Monday night. The blow that
struck Viscount MELVILLE, we hope shall never be

regarded but as direEled by the hand of national jus-
tice, and placing England on a level with the purest
age of Rome, when the father sacrificed his son
to the superior claims of his country. NVith this
charaaer attathed to it, the ad will ever remain a
monuMene of national pride.' Mix party spirit with

the motive. and you degrade this great deed into
an af.l of rancour and ingratitude, originating in a
paltry squabble for place and pension. From that
charader we shall ever stand forward to defend
a;.iinst. the attacks of those Jacobin writers who
flatter themselves, that because they profess to serve
the Minister, their sincerity is not to be 'questioned.
Mr. WILIBERIFOSICI, Mr. THORNTON, and others,
who contributed so largely to the vote of Monday
night, have shewn an early anxiety to preserve the
charafter of an a.R in which they considered them-
selves as sacrificing every.objed -of personal feeling
and persnnil ambition, to the 'stern command of
justice and the love of their country. It is impossible
that so'great and Strong rib as yfrxtount MLL-.
vii.xe could be torn out of Asa
lion without weakeisiniAilliur; we
say, that should Mr. Fox artdhlelittmediatefrieni tif-
fer.t to consider it as a breach through whiCh they *j.

rush in to power,they will finite* loss of V'scounthfut-
vit.t.amore than compensated bitheincreasedaicieur
of one of the majority that concurred in the glcir
out vote of Monday night. There is one other view of
this event deeply interesting. The external'impression
of Viscount MtLYILL es disgrace is much mote im-
yrtarst than any cOnsequences wbich it can possibly
produce at home. Foreign nations, accustomed to
see our expeditions and other' military movements
through Viscount Mate !Lit, will read this event
with surprise, if not with disappointment. France will
not fail to call us again a nation of shop keepers,
with 'this case before her of a Minister cashiered
upon suspicion of using his place for the purpose of
filthy lucre, when it was presismcd his heart was
filled with ambition, and that he had neither eyes
nor ears, nor any other sense, but for his country's
glory. If, however, any backwardness shall Ise
sally proved on the part of Russia, and other Con-
tinental Powers, to enter into immediate and aaive
alliance against France, let it not be imputed to
any waut of confidence in the present Ministry, in
consequence of the unfortunate condu 9 of the late
Treasurer of the Navy. We have more than once
endeavoured to impress upon our readers, and we
now repeat, that there is no symptom nor appearance
of a continental war. The authority of the French
Papers we despise, but the press of the rest of
Europe, and in some places it has some pre.
tensions to freedom, does not afford the slightest
pretext, of Which the most sanguine mind could
lay hold, to encourage an expelation of continental
warfare. la the Hamburgh Mail due on AVedws-
day, and which arrived on Saturday, we find, no
doubt, some movements in the Russian troops, but
they hear no decisive char:lEler of hottility. Por-
tugal is also said to have purchased a farther respite '
of neutrality, by a fresh sacrifice of money. A letter
from Barcelona of the 16th March, status, that Load
NeLsoN's fleet was then off that harb,,ar, and 'llw
Amsterdam Goatee announces, upon the authority
of private letters of the Sloth, from Paris, that
18,000 men had just embarked on board the Brest
fleet. This circumstance increases the probability
that the demonstration of that fleet on the t7th was
not a feint, but a real attempt to put to sea.

The Queen and ilenun men of war, appointed to
escort the secret expedition, but which sailed in con-
sequence of the report, that the Brest Fleet had put
to sea, have returned to Portsmouth. The arma-
ment, unless delayed in consequence of the recent
intelligence from the West Indies, wiil, of co.irse,
sail immediately.

A Lisbon Mail arrived ye.terday, bin we have
not heard what news it brings.

The Baltic fleet sailed tin Friday afternoon from
the Nore, under convoy of the Mercator, Joia, and
Lord Eldora, armed ships.
Admiral Sir Tmomas TROUIRIDGE leaves to.vn
this week for Portsmouth, from whence he wil► sail
its the Blrott Om, for the East Indies.