The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-24 00:00:00

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IN! Earl of ltsciaer tad Lord Crawllle movei
several Amendrneots in other subsequent clauses,
which were fieg4thed.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved several
omissions and insertions, which were agreed to.
One clause his Lordship undertook to revise in
the morning, and brim it lot ward properly amend-
ed to-IDOrreiw.

Lord GRENVILLE proposed one amendment
in the Clause enacting that " Lists of the Licences
should be laid annually before the King in Council.
with the causes of granting them," which amend-
ment was agreed to.
At length the House got through the Rill, and
the further consideration of the Report was adjourn-
ed till to-morrow-

•

The Clerk having sworn some witnesses, the
House adjourned at twelve o'clock till to-morrow.

•
HOUSE .OF COMMONS.
T H VILMA. Yt J1.:24£ 23.
The SECRETARY at WAR brought in a Bill
to augment the number of Field Officers in the ser-
vice of Great Britain.
DEFENCE OF VIE COUNTRY.
The SECRETARY at WAR moved the Order
of the Day for the second reading of the Army of
Reserve Bill.
Mr. CALCRAFT regretted that he should in the
least degree delay a proceeding, the objed of which
was, the detence of the country; bet feeling, as he
did, that it was a measure not calculated to meet
the exigency of our present situation, he should be
compromising his duty to the }tense, and degrading
himself in his own estimation, if he did not take the
earliest opportunity of stating his sertiments.—
He thought. that when the Right Honourable
Gentleman brought forward a measure of this kind
which sins inefficient, it would have been right for
him to have explained the whole plan he had in view
for offensive operations, as far as regarded recruiting
for the line. The Secretary at War admitted, and
every gentleman must feel the necessity of filling up
those corps that were deficient in number of men ;
therefore, before he took out of the stock of men
fittest for the service. such a number as 50,000 fols,.
defensive operations, he should have stated by what
means he pro prised to add to those which were
deficient for offensive operations. He would have
consented to any measure that would have filled the
ranks. He thought the mode by ballot, adopted
with respell to Fencible Regiments, should be had
recourse to, to fill up the regiments of the line. The
country required strong measures, and if there was
any odium attached to the recommendation of what
he proposed, he tnust be content to come in for his
share of it. We were now going to take 50,000 men
front the ranks, for the same purposes that Fencible
Regiments were raised. It must be admitted, that in
consequence of this measure, it would be more
diffit to fill up those regiments that were now
without their sufficient number of men. It had been
said that the regiments of the line could not be
recruited by giving bounties ; why then not fill
them up by ballot r This measure would hare the
effect of drawing front the fund used for the supply
of ere Ewe 50,000 of the most effettive men of the
country. We had all in view, vigorous measeres for
dte pmeecntiot of die war ; them were vulnerable
paws
at which the chesty might be attacked, but
he would ark what was the most proper time for
taking notice of those vulnerable points ? Un-
doubtedly it was as early as possible s our enemies
would be aware that their country was open to thous
disadvantages, and would take care to provide
against them, if they were allowed time to do so ;
this was consequently a reason far sot losing a mo-
ment in recruiting such an efficient force for offensive
operations, as might have the drat of bringing the
war to a weedy oon clusion. k was of the utmost
consequence that these operations should cos-
nunce immediately. As the present was was
one in which no man had templed to come for-
ward with his purse, he saw no reason why the
persons of his Majesty's sub;olis should Le spared.
He conceived it right to tate notice of what had
fallen from a Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr.. Wind-
ham) respeiting the Mitia, on a late occasion. As
he was himself an officer in the Militia, he was the
OM entitled to notice what had fallen from that
Gentleman. He had heard sentiments from him
respeCting that corps, which he much regretted
should ever have been uttered ; and, he —as per-
suaded, the Hon. Gentleman himself would, upon
maturer reflection. regret them too; they contained
a sort of sneer at a set of men whose exertions
had been most serviceable to dris country; men who
had served it faithfully and honourably upon the
most trying occasions, and would be ready to serve
st again. Luckily, the Right Hon. Gentleman did
not stand high as a military authority, or it might
be necessary to go further in reply to his observa-
tions ; hut having filled the situation he had ioniser.
ly done for a number of years, it was remarkable
that he should have attacked the military system of
this country. However high he hail stood, the
s, hitiments he had expressed would shake him
in the esteem of those se'oo before entertained
a high opinion of him. The system he ridiculed
had been established by a brave and meritorious
officer ; and however the Hon. Gentleman might
laugh at the words—re the Rik—Dent—he was
p.cr uaded, that if the Militia were brought into the
held, they would go enough their military evolu-
tions with the same promptness and regularity as
corps which were exercised together. He was con-
vinced that we were much indebted to the Militia
for those great exploits performed in Egypt. He
land thought it necessary to state his opinion with
regard to the proposed measure; he was persuaded
that it would be found not sufficiently strong; that
it would prevent recro,ting for the line ; and. there-
fore, that it would be necessary, in order to recruit
the line, to has-e recourse to ballot.
Mr. SHERIDAN said, be did um rise for the
purpose of giving his opinion upon the present
measure ; he deprecated premature discussion ; he
understood tile Right Hon. Gentleman, who intro.
duced the Bill. wished it to go to a Committer, in
order that the blanks might be filled up. and that it
might be put into an iatelligible shape.. In this wish
Ise pet a ly coincided. His Hon. Friend who had
just spoke, as well as the House in general.. would
then have an opportunity of ascertaining, whether
the object they desired might mot be attained t 0 let
full extent. He trusted that Gentlemen would
mot indulge in ant acrimonious discussion about
the respe4ive merits of the troops of the line me the
Militia; at the ague time be could not avoid Amyl%
that the observations of his Hon. Friend were pro.
laskitel, wit! „called Air.. He expressed .a wish that