The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-10-11 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,
THURSDAY, Ocrosza 11, 1811.

We took occasion a few days since to observe,
with reference to the arbitrary removal of Sir
ROBERT WILSON from the half-pay list of the
army, that an extended half-pay list, placed thus
absolutely under the control of the Ministers of the
Crown, was, in its nature, calculated to produce •
constitutional evil of no inconsiderable magnitude.
Parliament most probably will not think it wise to
interfere, for the purpose of rendering Officers on
the half-pay more independent of the Government
than they are at present, for we must confess that
we do not readily see how any difference in princi-
ple can be admitted between the power of the
Crowe over Officers on the half-psy and Officers
on active service; but by a happy disposition in
our Constitution, to which we have had occasion
more than once to refer, this evil can be safely and
effectually corrected by a careful arid gradual
diminution of this particular head of the ',Odic
expenditure. The integrity of our Constitution,
the boasted liberty and privileges of EreOishmen,
may most emphatically be said to be bomid up
with the strings of our purses. and so long as Par.
liameut shall watch carefully over the public
money—parsimoniously granting, and jealously
controlling the supplies, no serious evil can arise to
the interests of the country. Our half-pay list wns
one of those points of the public expenditure to
which the attention of Parliament and of the coun-
try was particularly directed on the return of peace.
The great reduction in the army and navy at that
period necessarily swelled the half-pay list to a
very large amount, and our readers may recollect
the very nice calculations which were their used by
Lord CASTLEREAGH, in the House of Commons,
to shear that in a very few years this list, either by
the death* or promotions of the Officers, would be
reduced to little or nothing. Parliament and the
country were then assured that every opportuni'y
would be eagerly seized for restoring the Officers of
the half-pay to active service; but in this our hopes
have been utterly disappointed. The number of
Officers ou half-pay is still shamefully great ; pro-
motion is suffered to run on in the several regi-
ments without the slightest regard to the half-pay
list; and the interests of the public are sacrificed,
at the same time that the claims of a deserving body
of men are ougratefully and cruelly forgotten.
This subject has been already too long neglected
by Parliament, but possibly the recent occurrence
of Sir ROBERT WILSON'S removal may, by ex-
erting some feelings such ea we expressed a
few days since, awaken the vigilance of the
House of Commons. The country cannot af-
ford to pay two sets of officers; national gratitude
would dooktless *Coastline 40 root verniers
sivi moor acrilicus, bet skis indite& ought in
stork muss rather to induce ws to change WI-pry
.to soiree 'mire, sod ee world direr t
benign eurselves et ibis .111outi Ned

afford a seasonable relief to oar depressed finaaces
But if from circumstances the half-pay Officers are
driven to become in their respective circles of
society mere agents and partisans of the mi-
nistry—if they are deterred from avowing their own
.
sentiments, or from refusing to embrace those of
their masters—if they are beset by spies, and taught
to feel that the most effectoal way of rendering.
themselves acceptable to their superiors is to act
the part of spies themselves, the country will not
consent to maintain so pernicious au establishment.
The public will insist upon having the nuisance
abated. They will not endure in • free form of
government the anomaly of having a large body of
men bearing the false appearance of free citizen.,
while subject to the caprice of the Ministers, mud
exposed to all the *orst consequences of military
authority wirhoat being amenable to the operatious
even of military law.

The Paris Papers of Sunday last have arrived.
We are happy to find from an article under
the head of Copenhagen, that Denmark is not to
be included among the Continental States that
prove themselves indifferent to the Slave Trade,
and do not second the exertions of England to put
down that detestable traffic.

The Kiug of ENGLAND passed through Liege
on the J instant, and thence proceded to Ai:-Is.
Chapelle, *here he arrived on the evening of that
day. We mentioned yesterday his arrival at Des.
seldocif.

Yesterday, the 10th of October, was the day on
which the accounts of the produce of e public
revenue fur the quarter just ended *ere made up.
The exact amount and the details will not be pub•
fished, as derived from any avowed source, until
this day ; but some how or other the result has
been generally anticipated, and the effect felt in
the money market many days ago. This is illus-
trated in the gradual rise of the funds,. and when
the statement of the quarter is put forward, we dare
say the financial report, from wl.ich SO much is ex-
pected, will be found to have spent its force.

Letters from Putt-au-Prince state the arrival of a
Vicar Apestolical from the POPE at that port, ac-
companied by several Bishops, whose functions it
will be to maintain the integrity of the Catholic
religion on the island of Si. Domingo. BOYER,
the President, intended to avail himself of this
event to legalise, more completely, his marriage
with the widow of his predecessor, Pwriow. Gieat
mortality 'Sifts among the inhabitants of the dis-
tricts surrounding Port-au-Prince.

Extract from the Agents to Lloyd's at Boulogne,
dated October 5 :-

" We beg to enclose a paper which has just been
delivered to' us in u bottle picked up this morning
at ten o'cli.ek, on the shore at Dunnes, between this
port nett Estuples:—
"'Tbe merchant ship Sir Joseph Ranh', John Williams,
eosamander, at sea, Munday,Jul7 16, 1821, in tat 49 deg. II
tibia. 16 sec N ; and longitude, by chronometer at noon, 11
deg. 27 min 36 sec. west of Greenwich; being calm weather,
threw this bottle ov.rbosid fur the purpose tit' ever found)
of asceitainiog the rent about the entrance of the Eng'ish
Channel. Whoever finds this will be good cooties to sc.-
knowledge it in some public manlier.'
_ _ _

" Mem— . the Sir Joseph Kaiaks arrived in the
River July 23, from Jamaica."
The dividends will be payable to the Bankers to-
morrow, and to the public on Saturday. The sum
paid in October is about seven million..
%Tire understand that at present no bills to any
extent are discounted at the Bank of England, as
the monied then in the City, und Bankers, hove
b2en in the habit of discounting, for a year past,
at 31 and 4 per cent.
It is reported in the City that the Bank intends
to call iu the si. notes.
The total number of Bank Clerks dismissed is
' 145; the dismissal took place in the most delicate
manner, the selection having been made by ballot,
mid all who have served fifteen years and upwards
being exempted from it.
Picket-bmits are in future to sail regularly be-
' tweet, Marseilles mid Leghorn at fixed periods.—
The first, called the Zephyr, is to take her depar-
ture on the echli iestant, and soother is preparing
to follow her. These vessels are described to be
elegantly fitted up, and to have 011 board a table
d'hote for the convenience of passengers.
The Mouireur of Sunday last contains an ac-
count of the prods against a men named Des
lording, who was suspected of being en accom-
plice of Louvers in the inatiou of the Duke
Ds BERRI ; he was accused of having said he was
°lie of seven conspirators, who drew lots which
should commit the ruitriltr ; but it was proved, to
the satisfaction of the Chamber of Peers, that this
was mere romancing, and that Louvel alone planned
and perpetrated the crime. lie aas tried on tht 6th
inst. at the Cour d'Asolze., fin having committed an
offence against the public morals iu approving the
murder, in.d (or uttering seditious expressions in a
public place. Witnesses were examitted, and the
Advocate-General made an eloquent address to the
Jury, in which he insisted upon the evil conse-
quences which might have attended the prisoner's
expressions. The Jury found him guilty of the
crimes, but acquitted him of having uttered the
expressions in a public place, lie was, its conse-
quence, discharged by the President, with an ad.
monition to merit, by his future correct conduct,
the indulgence of the Jury.
The Lord Bishop of CHESTER has mule a survey
of ull the churches to the extreme northern parts of
Lis extensive Diocese. Fits Lordship has been as
far as Cockermouth, and intritdr immediately pro.
reedit% with his laborious work. We understand
the returns have been very flattering, mud the
teal-
deuce of the Clergy mach mere general thous was
' expected. Several new churches ere to be &milt,
others, mewed ?led beiratifsed. sod, which is of
more conetioeuee. Deviue Service sa to be perform-
. 00.1 141 SW Welched TWINS am arty
bet my thorregisua the Diocese.---/Chaser
Callre/114

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