The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-17 00:00:00

•ifpiatly: 9F.
..ctibnotta,
...
sl, •THOIRSDAY, JVVE it •ti
i(Kstook thk:Oatlis and his seat *Ns&
tutyl . •
A, Measage from the Lords announced they hid
agreed to the Sheerness Pier, and scmg.oiher Fri-
vale Bills. •
" 4 TT I-loose in a Cernmitrec nn the 11111 fdr itnend-
ing the At of the 4211 George 111. fOr the reguinrion
ofwerk-houges, np(11 which the Chairm.cycbtained
leave to bring a Bill.
...
The Irish rarsonige Bill went through a Commit-
tee, and the Report ordered to be received to.-mr.or-
ron.
__

N&VAL OFFICAR. S.
CARL ST. VINCENT.
Mr. WHITBREAD called the attention of the
House to the Report made by the Commissioners
appointed to enquire bun the abuses of the Navy.—
This commission, he said, was appointed in conse-
quence of the visitation which Earl St. Vincent and
some of his colleagues had made to the dock-yards.
What he had to propose was, a Motion for the Mi-
netes of the Evidence taken before the Commis-
sioners, as the conduct of the Noble and Gallant
Earl had been severely animadverted on in some
eublicetions. • The opinion of the Commissioners
would appear on a future occasion, and the
public must expect it with some degree of im-
patience.--As far as he could yet understand, .
the visitation was likely to cab great good,
and had discovered great delinquency. He con-
cluded with moving for a copy of the minutes of
the examilettione and evidence, taken before the
ummissionees appointed to enquire into the Zbuses
existing. in the Navy and Vialialling hoards.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
erpresscd his regret at being obliged, an the grounds
of reason and justice, to oppose the motion•of the
Honourable Gentleman, though brought forirsad
upon motives which he did not suppose any person
could disapprove. Every one who knew the cha- .
meter (.1 his Noble Friend (Lord St. Vincent)
must be sensible, that greater reliance should be '
. placed on its soundness, solidity, and strength in •
the national opinion, than in any thing that coils
result from the motion nowproposed. Some beteer
parnamentery ground should have been made out .
-for se eh a motion, which must necessarily leadeto
some further proceeding as yet unexplained, as no
charge of negleet of duty, misconduct, or inatten-
' don. had e'er horn attributed to the gallant Earl ?
Would the Hon. Gentleman wish that -Ail-. sa
ranch vigilance and exertion, the business of en-
.quiry should be taken ,out of his Noble Ftitttes
hands* Ile kncw.that Lord St. Vincent wished all
the proceedings w be knoverkebut that was no ground
for a *parliamentary proceeding, and if the Hon.
Gentleman did not think proper to withdraw his
motion, though the whole of the subjeet must ul.
timately come under the consideration of Parlia-
ment, he should for the present find himself under
the necessity of moving the previous question.
Captain MARKHAM, (a commissioner of the
Admiralty) spoke with indignation of the calum-
nies, which went forth against the board of Ad-
miralty, and the conduit of Earl St. Vincent, and
thinking that the charafter of the board should be
vindicated, he wished the minutes to be produced im-
mediately, and therefore should vote in favour of
the motion. •
Sir WILLIAM ELFORD opposed the motion.
He paid the highest compliments to the talents,
and exulted charaeter of the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, and thought the House should not judge
of matters of such an important nature, upon ex
&tree evidence, which was all they could have at
present.
Sir CHARLES POLE represented that the mo-
tion, if carried, could only afford the House ex
plate evidence) given by the very persons themselves
who were implicated in charges.
Sir A. HAMMOND seemed to feel indignant at
any insinuations against the Navy Board, the mem-
bers of which were -so attentive to their duties, it 4
to sit six or seven henrs every day. The com-
missioners on abuses were still continuing their en-
, quiries, and all that the Admiralty could give was
a copy of the proceedings. It. was impossible to
fount any udgment, till the report should be pro-
perly laid before the House. As to die Navy. Beard
they h"Ail a right to expect a liberal core!ua frym
the fidose. They had a rt-part now ready., but
the Home could not well determine, till they. had •
the Wale orit.behire them. •
Mrc•COURTENAY observed, that nothing per-
srmal could possibly be meant; the Minister himself
had defended the conduct of the Noble E ill at the
head of the Admiralty. the motion only went to
the prodation, which could not, after the decla-
rations of the Minister, be consistently refused.
These documenti would, he understood, slew
ninny abuses which never had been checked be-
ftsre. Ever), one must admire the wonderful ta-
• leni-a an& services of that illustrunil.Olßer, who did
and should ever maintain
e arum et nv.moribile ti•imen
nixtum notara prod tat.tubi.••
A dmitad BERKELEY spoke against the motion.
The AT FOR NEY 'G EltA L also strenuously
_contended against it._ The enquiry of the Com-
niissionets, he said, was stilleand the minutes of their
proceedings should not he taken from them, as it
would give ofenders such intimation as may frus.
'ttate the obje.fts of the commission. Every thing
necessary wnu come forward at a proper and con-
venient time. Let the proceedings have their na-
tural course, and let them afterwards be .investi-.
gated. However high the charaeleref Lord St. Vin-
cent may stand, which no man valued snore highly
than he the Commissioners were men in an
equal degree of estimation. Is was competent to
-the Hon. Gentlemen and every other Member to
ABove for suppressing' the commission ; but as no
teerliementary grounds had been made out, the mo-
anti was premature, and any disclosure would only
apprise the culprits of what they had to expect,
'and by those means to defeat the
,ends of justice.
lor these reasons he should move for the previous
question, should the motion be persisted in.
Colonel BASTARD was in femur of the motion;
and Mr. HARVEY against any thing which would
involve a discos.ion of a character so illustrious as
that of Earl St. Vincent.
Sir FRAti.:IS BARING considered Lord St.
Vincent •as o.le of the greatest officers that ever ex-
isted, and was proceeding, when he was inteiropted
as digressing from the question. •
Mr. SI lERIDAN opposed the opinion advanced
by die &tame; Gen.a-4 lad imbued in favour of

.

_.mr4121