The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-28 00:00:00

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that his'Majesty would interposeitis mediatian to.a*-
concile the differences, and) never ceased ttilaintiht
that the requested mediation was not acceded to. In
what I have said at the periods alluded to, ancLon
the present day, I am not conscious of any incon-
sistency wh:aever. Speaking histritically, I was and
am a friend at times and fit occasions to continental
alliances ; but I thonght that in the last war there
WAS a perversion of the principle which formed the
ground of my disapprobation. I supported the
Treaty of Amiens aswell as that Rt. Hon. Gentleman,
and was not di4sosed to find fault with our concessions.
He now admonishes us not to fall into the opposite
.extreme, nor give up the securities we now pos-
sessed. As to the principal point which, I make
no duubt, he considers the most solid security,
though I widely differ from him as to its
value, solidity, and effea, yet this is not the time
to enter on the discussion, and I have my.doubts
whether by retaining we have the chances he seems
to expert of so many important advantages. Lhave
no wish to put this Motion to a division, and yet I
do not see how I can with propriety withdraw it, on
the grounds that have hitherto been alledged.—
With respeEL to the mediation I do not a'uso..itely
charge his Majesty's Ministers svitii neglea ; but I
cannot forget that it is notorious that the mediation of
the Emperor of Russia has been offered, without its
being known or avowed, that the offer has been ac-
cepted. It; however, I hear it °facially announced,
that the Ministers arc ready to accept this poWerful
intervention, I have done, and this motion shall be
heard no more of. Ido not see the grounds of
these insinuations, thrown out by the Noble Lora
and others, that the negotiations would tend to un-
nerve or relax the public mind or spirit ; but I think
that the negotiation will give r. better chance of
peace than we can otherwise have. Ido not expert
nor wish that hostilities sh:add, in the mean time,
be suspended. From the history. of the negotia-
tion, I cannot help concluding, that if the corre-
spondence had been concluded by notes from M. de
Merkoff, on the one side of the water, and al. de
Romenzou, on the other, the event might have
been different from what has resulted from the &Mi.
munications between Lord 'Whitworth and M. Tal-
leyrand. I shall have no objection to withdraw my
motion, should .the Ministers avow their intention
to accept the mediation. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man has asked me, why I should not rely upon
them ? My answer is, that in that way, some time
may be lost ; but I assure the House, that I should
be much better pleased, if the Ministers should 2e-
dare their acquiescence, than I could lie by The in-
terference of Parliament."
Lord HAWKESBURY—" I can assure the
Hon. Gentleman and the House, that this commu-
nication did not come so much in the way.of an
offer of mediation, as in the shape of an irregular
intervention. The dispatch contained no more than
that the Emperor of Russia, supposing there was a
relvaance betweeh the two contending powers to
communicate hilly with each other, and afford
mutual explanations tile ambassadors of Russia at
the respeaive courts, were authorized to become the
channels of communication. This his Majesty's
Ministers could not but be considered as too loose
and vague to admit of being construed into' 'an
offer of mediation. There was also something
very particular in the moment of the commu-
nication, at the very time when negotiation
was at an end, of the rejedion of our ultima-
tum, and when it was evident, through the whole
course of the proceedings, the objeds of the
French Government were to protrad and gain more
time. Our answer was, that we had already given
every explanation we had to make; that the nego-
tiations were at an end, and that our Minister, Lord
Whitworth, was already on his way from Paris.—
The British Government, however, I can assure the
Hon. Gentleman, has no wish to conceal from him
or the country, that it is ready to explain with the
Court of Peter burgh, and to accept its mediation, in
respea to its own disputes with France, and the
avneral interests of Europe ; and that it is willing
either to hear and receive the proposals that may be
made, in regard to these objects by that Court, or
itself to originate proposals, which it will be ready
to communicate to Its Imperial and Russian Ma-
jesty. ' At the same time I wish it to be understood,
that until some accommodation or 'a dj ustm en t shall
take place, his Majesty's Ministers cannot be ex-
peeled to advise hint to aft or suspend in any degree
the most vigorous exertions for the continuance of
the war."

Mr. FOX then said, that understanding from I
such authority the British Government was itself
ready to originate proposals of accommodation,' he
would not objeCt to withdrair his Motion.
The Motion was accordingly withdrawn.
The House went into a Committee on a Bill for
the Fompletion of the Militia, in which the Secre-
tary at War proposed a clause to prevent seamen
from serving as soldiers. After sonw discussion had
taken place between the Marquis of Douglas and
the Secretary at War, the report was brought up,
and ordered to be read a .ccond time onWednesday
next.
Mr. VANSITTART presented a Bill, according
to an Act made in the 27th year of his present Ma-
jesty's reign, for repealing certain duties of the Cus
toms,. and granting others in place thereof. The
Bin was ordered to be read a second time on. We-
dnesday next.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
moved for a Committee of the whole House on
Wednesday next, to take into consideration the dif-
ferent A. rt.lativc to the Assessed Faxes. Agreed to.
A Bill was presented to prevent slips sailing from
the different ports of England without convoy.
A Committee was appointed by ballot, to try iht.
merits of a Petition complaining of an undue elec-
tion for Newcastle-under-Line, and the names of the
Members reported to the House.
The names of the defaulters ad the ballot al:.
pointed for to-morrow were ordered to be called
over.
Lord W. RUSSELL presented a petition from
Colonel Ogle; against the last return on the late
Boston election, which was ordered to be referred
to a Committee on a future day.
The SPEAKER gave notioe, that he should count
the House to-inorrow 2t half past three o'clock pre-
cisely,
The House then Adjatuned at half past nine
o'clock till to-morrow.

S

I.'

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THEATRE-tor:IL, cOrAT-GifRDEN.
ou MONDAY EVENING wlll be presented Bic floniedruf;
' • JOHN BULL ; • • • .
ENGIASIIMANN
The Principal Characters by; Mr Lewis,'Mr. ivlureav, Mr.
Fawcett, Mr. Johnstlme, Mr. N.3ulut on, Mr. Blanchard,
Mr. Finery Mr. Waddy. Ml's: H. Siddorti, Mn. Davenport,
and Mrs. k Johngtun.
With'a Lyrical Epilogue by Mr. Johnstone.
1”. added '" • •
PEROUSE ; Or, •THE DESOLATE ISLAND.
'On Thursday, John Bull, with Perouie.

THEATRE-Mr/IL, H.ArMARKET. •
THIS EVENING will be presAitect. its Threu Acts,
THE MOUNTAINEERS.
Octavian, Mr. Elbows ; Viro!ct, Mr. 1. Palmer; Kilmal-
lock, Mr. Denman; Roque, Mi. Chapuman ; Lope Tocho,
Mr. Holiday; Bulcazin Mulcy, Mr. Archer; Ganem, Mr.
Smith; Stsdi, Mr. Mathews. Zoraytti, Mrs. T. Woodall ;
Flor.intlie, Mrs. Gnodal. ; Agnes, Mrs. Atkins.
To which will be added,
MRS. WIGGINS.
On Tuesday, The Poor Gentleman. with Mrs. Wiggtns.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,
SATURDAY, MAY 28.

Mr. Fox, last night, made his promised Motion in
the House of Commons, for an humble Address to
his Majesty, praying that he would be graciously
pleased to avail himself of the disposition shown by
the Emperor of Russia, to offer his mediation be-
tween his Majesty and the French Republic ; a me-
diation which he said would not only be the means

Of terminating the war, but of producing the best
effeCts to the general tranquillity of Europe. The
motion did not produce the interesting debate to
which it was expelled to give rise, as the ground
upon which it was made, was completely done away
by Lord HA%i KESEIII AY'S answer. A public rumour
prevailed that Russia had indirectly offered her me-
diation, and Mr. Fox's motion was framed in the,
spirit of that opinion. His Lordship's answer, how-.
ever, while it admitted a foundation for the report,
placed the matter in an entirely new light. He dis-
finely stated that the Court of Russia, conceiving a
reluCtance between the two Governments of Lag-
land and France to mutual explanation, had in-
sinuated that the Russian Ministers at London
and Paris were authorized to become the chan-
nels ,of commerrication between them. This in-
timation on the part of Russia appears to have
been also founded in error, for., as his Lordship dis-
tinaly stated, no such reluaance existed. The
English Government had dirally stated its terms,
and 'France had as direaly rejeCted them. No •
ground, therefore, for explanation, could exist be-
tween two Governments who so clearly understood
each other; and, further, this intimation on the part
of Russia was not made until the negotiation
was broken off, and the proposal came too late.—
With such a case standing in his way, it became
impossible for Mr. Fox to persevere in his motion
for the avowed purpose of arresting the progress of
hostilities. He was, therefore, content to withdraw
it, upon receiving the assurance of Ministers, that
they would be ready at all times to accept of the
mediation of Russia, not only with regard ' to
the, disputes subsisting between this country and
France, but also respecting the general interests
of kurope ; that they should be ready not only
to receive, but to make overtures for that pur.
pose; at the same time, however, his MAJESTY'S
servants could not advise him to relax in the most
Vigorous efforts for the peosecution of the war.
With the nature of the rumoured Russian media-
tion thus explained, it would have been puerile to
suppose, that England having declared war against
France, would suspend it for the chance of the me-
diation of Russia, and still less for the chance of
its success. The assurance of Ministers, therefore,
amounts to no more than this, that tLe country
will prosecute the war, but that it will not rejeCi the
friendly interference of Russia to put an end to it.
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pis assurance is reconcileable with the most deter-
minable resolution for war, and, therefore, we la-
ment that we cannot see, any thing pacific in the
?ground upon which Mr. Fox consented to with-
his motion.

Yesterday the arrival of the 3fanship and Earl
St. Pin-cent from Bengal was announced at the East
India House. These Ships do not bring any thing
new.
A Letter from Plymouth of the '2 4t h inst. says :
—‘4 A French privateer, exaaly like an English
trawl boat, is just passed up Hamoaze. There are now
in the Channel nearly fifty of the same description,
mostly fitted as English fishing boats, and have on
board swivels and small arms.
After Mr. Fox withdrew his motion yesterday hi
the House of Commons, he went over to the Trea-
sury Bench, and shook hands with Mr. ADDINGTON
and Lord HAWKESBURY.
An order from Government was reCeived on
Tuesday by M. COQUEBERT DE MONBRET, the
French Commercial Commissioner, to leave Lon•
don within twenty-four hours, and quit the kingdom
with all posible dispatch. He accordingly set out
on his return to Paris last Wednesday.
The Commissioners under the Navy Abuse Bill,
have made their first report, which is very volu-
minous, but the subjed is so, immaterial, that we
do not think it worth while to make any extraEts
from it. The re fort consists of 113 folio pages,
and relates wholly to the premium upon hills drawn
for the public service at Jamaica, not having been
brought to the account of Government, which it
seems had never been the pra6tice of the naval offi-
cers, but which the Navy Board have within the last
dace years very properly enforced.