The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-05-07 00:00:00

EAST INDIA COMPANY

Mr. CRIBITIT thought it his duty to correct the
statements lately made by the East India Com-
pany, is the Petition lately presented to Parlia-
ment. This made, a most erroneous and greasily
fallacious statement of their affairs to the public in
their favour. In it the dritel its their accounts
was stated not to exceed 2,400,0001. sterling.
W berme the real deficiency in their accounts was
3,000,000 h sterling, out of which they had de-
frayed, by their saving on the loan of last year.
the sun& of 600,0001. which he admitted reduced
the 3,0000001. to the sum stated ; but the state-
ment was, he contended, both erroneous and dis-
ingenuous, as it had concealed the means by which
the reduction had taken place. As an inducement
to the public to lend the Company the sum re-
quired, the Petitieu stated that the surplus in their
Muds at present amounted to 0,000,0301. ; this
slab was inaccurate, as would be proved by the
papers be should wove to be produced. The
amount of their debts contracted abroad was
stated at 34,000.0001. sterling ; this he had reason
to believe was so far underrated, that on the whole
there would appear a dsficit in the state of the
Company's accounts, amountin; to the large sum
of 14,000,0001. sterling. Thus, hile the company
were boasting of the state of their affairs, it would
be found that not only they were overburdened
with debt, but that also their trade had been for
some years gradually decreasing. An inquiry had
last motion been set on foot into the matter,
which had, unfortunately, by adverse circomstances,
been debuted ; sad it was singular, that in this
advanced stage of the session no accounts of the
Company. transactions, for a considerable time
back, had been laid before the House, or were in
a train shortiv .to he laid belitre emus. As tl.e
statement of the Company had beets po very incor-
rect, be should move for the production of potters to
that House, which alight give the Ilon. e some fair
and adequate view of the probability :itere existed
of the Company's being able to discharge the debt
they might contract by the indulgetts.-e

smut. He thought it n however to ob-
serve, that the Counnitteee77:7 lief) this petition
had been referred, was radically an improper Court
to try the subject of the petition, shire it consisted
of several persons interested in the result. 'fliose
should not have been appointed to examine the
propriety of granting a supply, iu obtaining which
they themselves were interested, glace they pos-
sessed situations, wider that ertablislernent, whii h
had applied for assistance to Parlianten% and al-
though not officially connected with the Company,
received considerable incomes from its revenues.
lie concluded with moving his first resolutiou.
viz. •' That an account of the East India Stoek, by
computation, in the month of March, 16013, be Irbil
before the flonw."

Mr. S. Du NnAl said, the Members of that Coin-
injure had been appointed from amongst those
best aquainted with Indian affairs, I,r the most
obvious reasons. He tuaintuined, the Company
had provided thut Committee with every species of
inforiuution it bad required. die knew not the in-
tention of the Hon. Gentleman's motion, fur the
production ofa paler which must, in the course of
things, be laid before the House, when it should
mine to decide on the propriety of graining the re-
lief required. He w.i, Imo advocate for the Com-
pany, but he believed their conduct would be
speedily justified by the report of the C 1111 l inittee
now sitting. The demand he considered as prema-
ture. The alletottims of the Petition be would by
no mneuos d. Icu.l ; but this mach be would say
in their defence, that whatever time I lonOurable
Member urge against these alle4utions, he
bad not produced ao.", proof of their fah:dim-A.-
11e enumerated the Dames of the members of the
Committee, and thomeOit tliere was no ibuiger iu
committing the management of the lousiness to per-
soil; of their description. As he thoti3O,t the mt.
tiod uniieces4ory, be Omuta tome the pi Crliniti
question.
Dr. Lawnr.set; contended, that his Hon. Friend
was by nu uleaus bound to wait for time production
of this paper at any future stage; it' it were of im-
portance, the sooner it was had the better. The
t:oi 1111 l ittee weight be well eumi,tii formed for giv-
ing the information to the House oil time affair, of
India, yet not fitted to give an impartial opinion of
the wilvenei of the Compliny many years hence ;
nor was the general oleervation of there being on
that Committee several members intimately con-
nected with the affairs and interests of the Com-
mittee, to be wrestesi into an imputation of per-
sonal disrespect to nny individual.
Mr. Du x OAS explained.
Sir Jou% ANFTRUTREZ said, that though a Mem-
ber of that Committee, and connected- with the
Company. he did not stand in such • situation as
that the solvency or insolvency of the Company
should, in the leastoiffect him or his integrity. The
situation he held from the bounty of his Sovereign,
he trusted would he justified by the opinion of all
those who were acqoainted with his conduct while
in India. He admitted every one bad • right to
criticise the petition as much u they had a wind.
Yet why had net the Honourable 3leniber made
his objections, when the petition was presented and
debated in that Hasse ? It was rather strange to
propose to snake the House. better acquainted- with
the matter now under discussion of toe Commit-
tee, by the production of two or three papers, than
the report of the Committee could, with all its in--
veatigation and research, for the share of several
weeks. No pipers had as yet been refused to the
Committee, and all those which the lion. Member
had moved forobwl been obtained without any op-
position, except in one instance, in which the request
was finally granted by the assistance of. his Hon.
Friend (Mr. Dundas); he considered this an indeli-
cate mode of eastiug a slur on the conduct of the
Committee, which, from its labour and research,
was entitled to the coatidence of the country and
the House.

Lord FOLKESTONE wu happy the papers tail
been moved for by nit Hon. Friend, as they would
probably show mule additional light on a matter
which was involved in unusual ohseiirity.

Mr. %Vit. Le tic tistivti thought his lion. Friend
had been used rather hardly by :Members who im-
puted to bim an intentiou to attack personally the
character of individuals on the P,!nrismittee.
had a right to argue generally, and he did now
move that all persons should be excluded from the
trial of a cause in which they themselves were in-
terested ; 'nal was the principle on which a ballot
took place in that House, from amongst 49 Mem-
bers at least, and on such a principle the right of
challenging jurors was founded by the purity of the
constitution.

Mr. WALT. sce considered the motion unneces-
sary, but had no objection to the production of the
papers.
Mr. GRANT defended the members of the Com-
mittee from any partiality. He had no wish to
suppress information, but was satisfied this infor-
mation would in proper time come before the
House, and lie 'relieved that this information would
give the country lather a favourable idea of the
state of the Company's affairs.
Mr. Pamasoe vouintained, that every dispo-
sition had been displayed by the East India Com-
pany, to produce the information that had hero
demanded ; if that system were continued, he hoped
it would prove the state of the Company was by no
means so deplorable as had been rivresented..

Mr. Carvair -aid, he was sorry to tind the Ho-
nourable Director's prophecies of an immense sur-
plus of millions were nut likely to be realized. Did
he mean to say, that these loans would not here-
after be necessary for the relief of the Company.
He would not MT that he would not lend the Com-
pany money, but he would contend that the trade
way rapidly declined. On their own trade 'iley bad
experienced a loss of <260,0001. last year. Whilst
such was the state of things in India, hr thought it
his duty to produce to the House the documents he
had moved for, but which, as he found there ex-
isted a disposition to negative them, lie should not
press the House to a division onthat subject.
;Mr. S. 1)t MDas explained.

Mr. (im•INT Paid it was not the intention of the
East India Company to deceive tbw• public with
respect to tlifir *Mors. No such intention ever
existed, and the papers produced to the Com-
mittee would aloue prove this assertion.
The motion mid amendment were then severally
withdrawn.

Mr. CEEVEY then moved. " That there lie fur-

nuked to the Howe an account of all bairn nod
terms of 14.1:11111 i)l* Ule ILAA ludia Company
in the East ladies."
After some observation 4 from Dr. LAWRP.Noe,
Mr. WHISTSIMAD, anti Mr. I)IJ Ole Uluii..#li
was also withdrawn.
Mr. Cas:Ertv thea moved for accounts of the
profits of the East India Company ou investments
from India and China.

Mr. DUNDAS observed, this account would also
be regularly before the CORI tnittee, aid Nas there-
ton: unnecessary. it was a.:eordingly eithdrawu.
Mr. BIDDULPH hoped the lion. iltrotiot oppo-
site would put off his motion on too Canaille Quys-
tion, until Tuesday stennight.
-Sir T. TURTON agreed in the suggestion of the
lion. Alember, in hopes he would have the honour
of hi* assistance on that day.

Tile Dead Body laderme.ot Bill went through a
Committee, and wit.i ordered to lw reported on
slooday uext.

The Irish Militia Pay and Clothing Bill, the
Subalterns' Allowance, and the Adjutants' Allow-
aiice Rills, went throu4ll a Committee, and were
ordered to be reported on Monday next.
Col. Wuot► put off his motion hir the Darda-
nelles Papers, to Monday next.
Sir Jona Ntweoar moved for the production of
certain letters or the present and late Postmasters-
General of Ireland, complaining of the want of
roam, at present, in the Post-office of Dublin.
—Ordered.

On the motion of Sir A. WELLRSLET. the Dub-
lin linlice Bill was ordered to be committed on
llocri4y next.
The &loose then went into a Committee to con-
sider further of the assessed taxes for Ireland.—
Th.* report was brought up, and ordered to be re-
ceived on Monday next.
Mr. P. Moons presented the Petition of Charles
Morgan, Esq. stating that he had been a candi-
date at the late election for the borough of liand-
wicb, at which John Sprat Rainier had Leen re-
tilrned a Measlier for Parliament; and complaining
that the said John Sprat Rainier had been unduly
electel by means of bribery and treating, and fur-
ther that the said John Sprat Rainer was not duly
pi:tidied to sit in the Houre in point of property.
Ali. WHARTON brought up two Bills, one for
ricsug a million and half hr Exchequer Bills. an-
other for raising three millions, which were seve-
rally read a first time, and ordered to be read a se-
cond time ou Noaday next.
_ . _

He else presented .0
printed copy of the evidence
Own before that House, on the Petitions preferred
by Liverpool and other trading towns of this king-
dom against the Orders in Council.
Mr. HORNER moved there be laid before this
House accounts of the number of Appeal Coulees
tried by the House of Lords. distinguishing
Scotch, Irish, and English Appeals, since the year
1760; as also the number of Writs of Error taken
out in tile Courts of Chancery, Cumulus§ Pleas and
King's Bench, since that period.--Ordered.
On the motion of Sir Jon tr NRWPOILT, the House
then adjourned to Monday next.

FOREIG.V INTELLIGENCE.

GOTTE.NIA. UGH NAIL.
GOTTENBLRGIII, •PRIL 27.

A brisk cannonading was distinctly beard here
the whole of the night of Monday last, which proves
to have been au attack made by the English sloop
Daphne, and two others, upon the harbour of Fla-
gram!, in Jutland, out of which they cut ten swe-
etie laden with corn and provisions, destined for
Norway, and this afternoon arrived with their prizes
here.

♦PAIL, 25.

Our accounts from Norway to-day inform us,
that the Swedish army has advanced as far as Kong-
vinger, which is within 10 Swedish, or 70 English
miles of Christiana, and that they have possesses)
themselves, by bto,.m. of two esnrultial forts in that
neighbourhood, in which they took Sou prisoners,
with very little loss on their side.
. .

Soros travellers have arrived within these few
days from liainhurgli, who bring news do%vii to the
15th : they say, that '2UOI) French troops Italic en-
tered Altonu, and that they are in full posscstion
of Milstein, but that none of them have yet come
over from Zealand. A report prevailed, alien the
travellers left the other side, that a great part of
the Danish flotilla and transports had been de-
stroyed by the English ships is the Belts, but of
this we rather doubt, as no official account has yet
reached us.