The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-03-16 00:00:00

GRAND JUNCTION CANAL.

The IL.;se having resolved itself into a Com-
mittee on this Bill, •
Sir J. W. ANDERSON observed, that the pro.
visions of the Bill by no means corresponded with
the description given of -it in the preamble. It au-
thorised a certain Company to raise 400,0001. for
the purpose of carrying on a work, in which the pub-
lic convenience and .accommodation, if at ;111 at-
tended to, wtne not so much the objek(ts in their con-
templation, as their private and individual advan-
tage. He, therefore, moved to leave out the words
44 for public accommodation and such improve-
moms as the Company should think proper ;" v, hick
was agreed to, and the Report ordered to b.: re-
ceived to-morrow. _ . _

1112 Report of the Expiring Laws Bill was
brought up; read a fist and se,:ond time, and
agreed w.

IRISH AFFAIRS.

The CHANCELLOR of the IRISH EXCHE-
QUER (Mr. Corry) reminded the House, that he
had several days ago given notice of his intention to
swe for leave to ining in a Bill to restrain the
Bank of Ireland from Payment in Specie, in the
same. manner as had been done xvith the Bark
of England. He deemed it necessary that they
should be assimilated in their operations, and wished
it to he understood, that tht restraint he proposed
en Bank of Ireland was merely consequential
on what had been imposed on the Bank of England;
fin-, till that t,ok place, no such measure was
thought of in Ireland, nor was it ever thought ne-
cessary even to' institute an inquiry into the re-
sources or solvency of the Irish Hank.
Leave was given to bring in the Dill.
The Irish Customs- and Excise fluty Bill was, on
the Motion of Mr. Cony, read a third time ant
passed.
Mr. DICKINSON gave notice, that he should,
to-morrow, rtnr:e for leave to bring in a Bill, for
suspending, for a limited time, all prosecutions nr-
stituted against Clergymen for Non-residence.
IRISH MILITIA.
The House having resolved itself into a Com-

~,
a,

. .
mlttce of the whole House on the Irish Militia
Mr. Alexander in the Chair,
Mr. WICKHAM (who previously moved and
carried, that it be an instration to the Committee
to make provision for filling up vacocies in the Mi-
litia) proposed a Clause, the objea of which was,
to authorize the Commissioners of the Treasury to
advance Bounties to persons entering and unrolling
themselves in the Militia in Ireland, not exceeding
four guineas per man.
Mr. ELLIOT wished to be informed, what was
the necessity for such an arrangement!
Mr. WICKHAM replied, that according to the
system hitherto adopted, the Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland was empowered to order the payment of
two guineas, and no more, to persons enrolling
themselves in the Irish Militia. That regulation
was found not to be sufficiently effative, and it was
deemed necessary to give the power of affording
double that sum, which was not, however, peremp-
tory, but enabled the persons so authorised to ad-
vance the bountrfrom two to four guineas, as con-
venience or circumstances might require.
- -

Mr. ELLzur said, that notwithstanding this
kind of explanation, he ,till foiled himself in rather
an embarrassed preclieameet. Ile observed, that
Irish interests had been very particularly attended
to, towards the close of the last Session of Parlia-
ment ; but he could not consent to let a motion, like
the present, pass by in total silence. No man felt
more than he did the necesity of a strong Militia,
but he wished them to be levied in Ireland es well
as England, by the true constitutional mode of bal-
lot, and not by bounties ; for were the latter method
adopted, the consequence would be, that the recruit-
ing-service for the regulars would be very much
interrupted, as few would consent to go abroad
when they could receive a bounty for their services
at home. At the end of the last war, he observed,
that the Irish Militia was disbanded, and he for one
was never satisfied with the policy of that measure.
There, were many reasons why he had not approved
of it; and he was but little inclined to be reconciled
to it now, when lie found it attended with a consi-
derable expenee. The law of drawing by ballot, he
knew had ncycr been more than very partially en-
foeced in Ireland ; and to raise 30 or 40,000 men in
the manner now proposed, would be rather levying
an army of Feucibles than a Militia force; and he
feared that few men would be found disposed to em-
bark on foreign service, who could get foisr guineas
bounty for staying at home.
Mr. WICK NAM replied, that the A& of the pre -
sent Session, if the Hon. Gentleman took the trou-
ble to peruse it attentively, would be found calcu-
lated not to impede, but protdt the recruiting. of
the line. There was no restraint on the description
of persons who might be appointed by ballot, as
very few of the balloted men served in person, but
generally employed substitutes. The parishes, to
hnd substitutes, were obliged to give bounties of
six guineas, or more, per man ; whereas this Bill
NOad impose the restraint 'let no more than four
guineas should be given in any case. He was aware
that the system of balloting had been adopted by
the Irish Legislature, but it was found impraaicable
to enforce it generally throughout the whole of the
country. There were several reasons why it be-
came necessary to disband the Irish Militia at the
peace ; but the principal one was, that having only
enrolled themselves tiering the war, their time of
service was then expired. It was indispensibly ne-
cessary to resort to the present method, or otherwise
we should be without a Militia in Ireland ; the De-
puty Lieutenants in many of the counties having
found it absolutely impossible to enforce the ballots ;
and though this power of giving bounties would be
granted, it need not be exercised unless necessity re-
quired it. The lion. Gentleman was also under a
mistake, a strange one for a person who had been
in a high official situation in Ireland (Secretary at
War) in respdt to the number of the Irish Militia,
which, instead of 30 or 40,000 men, as represented,
he believed would scarcely exceed 18,000.

Mr. ELLIOT rejoined, that from the last state-
ment it would appear that the Irish Militia was
not to be raised upon constitutional militia prin-
ciples.

The SECRETARY at VAR reminded the Com-
mittee, .that the objea of the measure now in clis-
cussiort, was only to enforce the present method of
raising a Militia force in Ireland ; and would it be
contended, that on an emergency, when a stror,g in-
ternal force may become necessary, it would be
wrong to resort to the most efil%Ftual means of ob-
taining it? It was singular that the Hon. Member
who war. so strenuous in his objeiaions, ;titer hav-
ing been one of the first to sound the trumpet of
alarm, would now come forward with attempts to
dishearten and depress the spirits of she people ! He
doubted if it was even parliamentary in him to re-
serve himself so long, ;Ind now in this advanced
stage to come suddenly forth with such objeaions.
The Hon. Gentleman, from the otfic:al department
he Limself held in Ireland, ought and must be con-
vinced that the Irish Militia never could be raised
by ballot, though at this critical einergency, he
thought proper to oppose a Bill to continue for
twelve months longer a law which must otherwise
expire in the space of a month or six weeks. As to
any bad effe4 which might be itpprehene-.1 to the
reeruiting in the line, from this measure, he confessed
that he did not entertain ally. They %vele witnesses
to the spirit and energy displayed by the Irish -NB-
litia in the late war. The English Militia certainly
acted in a manner which refleaed the highest ho-
w-utr on their courage and patriotism ; yet when the
liiil was passed for allowing them to enter into other
corps, they in general confined their services.to Eng-
land or Europe, whereas the greatest pai t of the
Irish Militia regiments offered to fight for the ho-
nour and interest.of the realm in any plirt of the
globe.

Sir LAWRENCE. PARSONS said, that to his
conception, the objeaions to the present Bill were
of a two-fold natnt!. The first related to the dan-
ger of its injuring the recruiting service for the line
—and the second respeaed what was called an un-
comaitutional tendency. He could not, however,
think, that there-was much force in any of these ar-
guments. As to the first, notwithstanding the un-
happily disturbed and distraa:'d state of the coun-
try, during the greater part of the last war, Ir. land
was always found very fertile in supplies for the re-
.cruiting-service. This Bill .would, in Lis ,opinion,
tend most to increase our force, by Laving two
modes for levying it ; the one by barct, and the
otherby the effect of bounties. With regard to the
apastitutional part of the question, he wished, since

i

the Union, to have the Constitution of the two.couil.
tries to be as much assimilated as possible, but the
constitution of their respeOive armies was widely
different. In Ireland, Roman Catholics were al-
lowed to serve in the army, and these were sup-
posed to be objecitionable ant disaffected, whom it
might be prudent to exclude from the army ; but this
power of seleaion would be lost in the base of bait.
lot, and the persons drawn must be taken indis-
criminately. He had himself, he said, the honor
of being Governor of a very respeaable county,
and having called a general meeting, they came to
fir, unanimous resolution, that the most secure and
effectual method would be to recruit by bounties far
the Militia. On those grounds, he would vote iv.
favour of the Bill.

Colonel FITZGERALD did not consider the
measure as in any way unconst.tutional. He un.
dnrstoo,i, that when the mode of drawing by ballot
was first proposed in England, it appeared, to
great many persons, extremely objectionable ; but
what might have been objectionable here, would,
in Ireland, be impracticable. When that use-
thod was legislatively adopted in Ireland, k
was entirely foreign to the notipns and habits of
the people, nlr were there means of getting per,
sons to attend the ballots, In Ireland there were
no parish-laws ; and what was done here by
the parishes, was done there by the Grand Jurie.
When the ballots were attempted to be enforced,
very few men, and not a, single regiment was raised.
It was certainly a hardship, and so felt through
the country,that a tenant of 301. or 401. a year should,
by a ballot, be put upon equal terms with his land:.
lord, who might have as many thousands. Even
if the balloting system could be generally carried
into effect, the substitutes would cost those why
were drawn, or the parishes, ten or fifteen guinea E:„
whereas the recruit;, under this Bill, would cost no
more than four guineas, and the expence be ulti.-
mately provided for by tbc grand juries of the
counties.

General TA nETON expressed his full appro-
bation of the measure, and said, that had it not
been for peculiar circumstances, he intended, siv
weeks ago, to bring before the House a general vice
of the state of the Irish Militia. He paid very hill:
compliments to the ardour and spirits of the !rat
Militia., while he had the honour of being amongst
them. lletter troops could not be found than som;
of the regiments which he had under his command,
particularly the Athlone light infantry; for he hail
known these regiments march twenty-five miles
a day, throuh 3 di,%c;xlt country, without leaving
a maxi bcl.in4 them.

Mr. ELLIOT, after apologizing to the Corn 7
mittee for troubling; them so often, said, that he
was undoubtedly for having in this country the
strongest force possible, but from all he had hi-
therto heard, he found his objeetionsrather strength,
encd than removed. He considered this system as
materially afre6ting the recruiting-service, to any
impediments to which the beginning of a war was
unquestionably the most inauspicious moment He
could not help entertaining many doubts on the po-
licy of again embodying the Irish Militia, and had
these doubts confirmed by confidential commu-
nications with the best-intbrnied persons in that
country.

The SECRETARY at WAR thought the last
ol?servatioa of the Hon. Member seemed to simply
something which ought not to be passed over with-
out an answer. However the interest of this coun-
try might lead it to an chiefly on the defensive, it
would not be without the purtuing, as circumstag-
ces might require, offensive operations, which this
Bill would tend to facilitate. The Hon. Gentle-
man seemed to mistake the nature of ballots for the
Militia. Though the law was passed, it never had,
nor could be carried into pranize in Ireland, and
even here most of the ballo:ed men served by s4b-
stitutes.

The IRISH ATTORNEY GENERAL (Right
Hon. John Stewart) declared, that he never was
more saryised than to find a gentleman, who had
once an ocial situation in Ireland, labouring under
such extraordinary misconceptions. He seemed to
forget, that though the bounties to be paid under
this Dill were to be advanced by order of the Lord
Lieutenant, they would in the end be paid by direc-
tions from the Grand Juries of the counties. But
there wits stronger reason for giving the preference
to bounties over ballots. Asa Member of the Secret
Committee in Ireland, at the commencement of the
late unhappy insurrections, he had the opportunity
of discovering, as would appear from the report,
that it was the great objeFl of the rebels to get into
the militia, in order that when they should be
aimed, cloathed, and disciplined, they might (lc-
sert to the enemy. For this .reason, if he may bc.s
allowed to offer advice, he would recommend great
caution in the seleCtion of pt:rsons to be admitted in
the militia.

Mr. LEE and Colnnel BAGWELL spoke shortly
in favour of the motion.

Clause agreed to, and the Report of the Com-
mittee to be received to-morrow•.

The ATTORNEY QENERAL gave notice,
that he would move to-morrow for leave to bring
in a Bill for regulating the office of Surveyor.-Gene-
ral of his Majesty's Forests.
The .SECRETARY at WA R brought up a
-Bill for providing for the Families of Militia-men,
in
.time of race; read a first time, and ordered
to be read a second time to-morrow, and to be
:printed.
The SECRETARY AT WAR brought forward
his motion for leave to bring in a Bill for compleat-
ing the establishment of officers of the Militia of
Great Britain. When the following provisions
seemed the outline.of the Bill: Ist. That field offi-
cers, who 14d served during last war, whether qua-
lified or not, should be called on to fill vacancies, if
recommended. 2d. That captains who served last
war should he appointed to vacancies, if recom-
mended, whether qualified or not. 3d. That Cap-
tain-Lieutenants should retain their rank, though
the colonels had no companies. And 4th. That
mi-
litia-men acing as artillery-men should have pay as
such.
Leiive was then given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. CORRY ,moved, that a Committee be ap-
pointed to prepare estimates of the pay and cloth•
ing.of the Irish Militia, andallowance to Subaltern
Officers, for the year 1803. Agreed to.
A Msageutfironymttliiiie
wLiothrdAs
manennodunnkeeiased
.their At.
sent to tehse m
Adjourned.

77IEATRE-ROTAL, DRUR nratArE.
TO-S,lollitUAr EVENING will he performed the Tin dy of
MACBETH.

itlicbcth, by Mr. COOPER, being his Third Appearance on
this Stage.
Duncan, Mr. Packer; Banquo, Mr. Wroughton; Macduff,
Mr. Raymond; Lady Macimh, Mn.a Powell.
Tu which will be addet the Grand Pantomime Ballet of
DON JUAN.

On Saturday, The Hero of the North, with the Wedding
Dav, Laity Contea, Mn. Jovian.
On Monday, Mr Cooper will perform the Charger of
Xing Richard the Third.

BY COMMAND OF THEIR MAJESTIES.

THEATRE-ROYAL, COVEAMGARDEN.
TO-MORROW EVENING will be performed a New Co.nedy
called
JOHN GULL;
Or, AN ENt:LISIINIANN FIRE-SIDE.
The principal Character; by
. .

Mr. Lewis, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Fawcett; Mr. Johnstone,
Mr. H. Johnston, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Emery, Mr. liraddy.
Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Davenport, and Mrs. D. Johnston.
The Orel tiire and Muse: composed and scleeted by Mr. Kelly.
the Prologue to be spoken by Mr. Brunton.
♦Vith a L% rival Epilogue by Mr Johnstone.
To which will he added,
CROSS PURPOSES.

On Saturdiy, John Bull, with The Prim; in which qtr.
Brth un and S4tnori Storace will perform the Characitas of
I!eartwell and Caroline.

1h I ! $!!

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16.

Yesterday. we received the Mori;teur of the nth,
but no other Paris paper. It contains a decree of
the sth, ordering a distribution of money through
the army.—Unless it be this circumstance, there is
nothing in the paper that betrays a know•l;dge of
the present state of affairs between the two countries,
or can throw any light upon it. The French Funds
rose, upon the 11th. They were 61f. r.

The two French .Messcagers who arrived on Mon-
day, from Park, with dispatches for General AN-
zißLossi, were M. Duct.os, and M. LE COMPTE.
They made the journey xvith the greatest speed, and
are supposed to have brought over an answer from
the CiIII:F CONSUL to his Majesty's Message. Im-
mediately after the receipt of these dispatches, Gen.
ANDREOSSI had an interview with Lord llawKes-
st; a 5•. Yesterday in the forencon a Messenger also ar-
rived with dispatches from Lord \Viii Two r. Tll,which
were immediately taken into consideration by a
Cabinet Council.—Their contents have not trans-
pired. We have how-,wer reason to believe that the
discussions subsisting bztween the two Countries,
bade not yet taken a decisive turn. The Funds yes-
terday remained pretty steady.

Meanwhile, warlike preparations are going on with
unabated activity. Greater bustle was not known
at Woolwich, during the most furious part of the
late war, than in the course of yesterday. Orders
Were received for sending forty-six field-pieces to
the Southern Coast, and vast quantities of mi:itary
shores of all kinds, in the ordinance of that place,
Were preparing to be Chipped for Malta. This latter
intelligence, which we state upon good autlwrity,
confirms the statement in our Paper of Monday, re-
!greeting that Island. --The same energy prevails on
all our shores. Thursday night there was a very
severe press at the port of Leith. Every ship was

stript of her hands ; but those belonging to the ves-
sels about to sail far the whale-fishery were liberated

again.

A warrant for impressing Seamen was received
at Liverpool on Wednesday, by Capt. WA Lt.'s, of
his Majesty's frigate Naiad, now lying in the river,
and that night and the following morning, a most
severe press took place ; in the coune of which
many of the ships in the river, and most of the yes-
sets coming in or going out, were entirely stripped.
inferior. Officers, and even the Mates, were not
'Oared.

The Sheriffs of Middlesex summoned all the Con-
;tables of the Holborn Division, on Monday, in
order to invest them with the authority of executing
press-warrants.

Several persons were sent yesterday from the
Mansion-I louse on hoard the tender.
The Commissioners of the Navy, and of the Vic-
rualling-Ofliee, sat several hours on Monday.

Orders have been issued by the Treasury-Board
for the Revenue-cruizers to be immediately employed
in the service of the Admiralty.

Other particulars respeaing our naval prepara-
tions will be found in our port-letters.

Every other part of our military establishment
displays the same aetivity. On Monslay his Royal
Highness the Duke of YORK came to town from
Oatlands, and at:ended his Office at the Horsc-
Guards, with his Secretary, Lieutenant- Colonel
ROWNRICC, who quits his situation for that of
Quarter-Master-General of his MAJESTY'S forces in
England, in the room of General DuritiAs, who is
placed on the Staff as a General. This appoint-
ment was announced in last Night's Gazette. No
time, wti find, will be lost in calling out the Militia.
That of the the county of Gloucester arc ordered
to be embodied on Monday the 28th inst. tie
South Gloucester Royal Regiment, commanded by
the Earl of BERKELEY, Lord Lieutenants at Glou-
cester ; and the North Rdial Gloucester Battalion,
commanded by Col. KividoTs, at Cirencester.
The Someset Militia are ordered to be embodied,

ott the same day. We believe, the other counties
have received orders to the same effect.

An order was received in the City, on Saturday,
for embodying the London Militia.
All our Volunteer Corps are also expeeted to
come forward, and prove their patriotism and
loyalty in this momentous crisis. The following
circular letter was yesterday sent to the St. James's
Volunteers.