The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-01-29 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. ROSE gave notice, that oa Tuesday next be would
move, " That the humor revolve itself into a Committer, to
consider the propriety of . admitting Bruit vessels to import
the produce of that country into Great Britain."

MARGATE PETITION.
Sir Edward KnatchbuU presented • Petition from the in-
habitants of this place, relative to the damage done by the
late storm to :Margate Pier.—Ordered to be referred to •
Committtee.
AMERICAN INTERCOURSE BILL.
On the motion of Mr. ROSE it was ordered,
that the House resolve itself into a Committee; to
consider the propriety of continuing this Bill.
Mr. EDEN, in a speech of some length, ex-
pressed his surprise, that the Right Honourable
Gentleman should propose the continuutuni of
such a Bill, in the present situation of both coun-
tries.amil after the angry measure adopted by Ame-
rica in her late Non-Importation Act. We would,
he continued, have every day an opportunity . of
hearing from that country ; and in case America
had withdrawn this hostile Act, he would have no
objection to the paining of this Bill.
Mr. ROSE said, whet he meant to propose by
this Act was, to continue one made iu 1797,
which had for its object the cultivation of en ami-
cable and friendly intercourse between the two
countries. If America had inconsiderately pre-
cipitated herself into this measure of hostility, it
would he thought be more wise in this country not
to follow berexample, but to denl towards her with
moderation and forbearance. The present Act
would *spire in five weeks, and if this measure did
not take place, no American ship could touch at
any of the ports. of this country ; and, therefore, he
should only propose to continue the present Act
for a limited time, in order to prevent the conse-
quences that might ensue from its unseasonable
expiration. His doing this did not preclude the
adoption of any other measure which the relative
situation of the two countries might reader Re:
cosokry. He would, therefore, move—.“ That the
House do give him leave to bring in a Bill to con-
tinue for a time, to be limited, an Intercourse of
Commerce, Navigation, and Friendship, between
ills Maksty and the United States of America."
The House resumed, and leave Was given ac-
cord i ugly.
VOTE OF THANES TO THE ARMY AND NAVY,
FOR THEIR EXPLOITS IN THE BALTIC.
Lord CASTLEREAGH rose, in pursuance of
the notice he gave on a former day, for the purpose
of calling the attention of the House to the ser-
vices of the army and navy in the Baltic; in doing
this lie flattered h4nself that whatever difference of
opinion there might exist upon the political branch
of that service in the House, there could be none
existing as to the proposition he should have
the honour of submitting. It had been al-
ways the custom of the House, upon similar
occasions, studiously to separate the conduct of
those who executed a measure, from that of those
who were entrusted by the government of the
country with its execution. There was not, how-
ever, any thing that should make him particularly
solicitous, upon the present occasion, to abstract the
military operations of the enterprise, from the con-
duct of its political advisers ;. but it was avowedly a
wise principle, that the Parliament, in looking . to
the conduct of those entrusted with the executive
management, should view it without any political
sentiment. He thought this mode of procedure was
due to the Honourable Gentlemen on the other
side of the House, who, he was convinced,
were equally anxious with him to do ample
justice to those military services, although they'
perhaps could not approve of the political
_prin-
ciples of those who planned the Expedition. IJpon
these grounds then he apprehended that the parti-
cular question for their consideration would be,
whether, taking the whole nature of the service, it
catald be deemed of that description which, in
point of magnitude, importance, and difficulties,
would entitle those who executed it, to the thanks
of the House? Ni one viewed with greater jea-
lousy than he did. that reward and sanction of
Parliament in a Vbte of Thanks, as connected with
the advising an enterprise. With respect to the
magnitude and importance of the service, no one
could doubt. whether they considered the extent of
the means that were employed, or the result pro-
duced by it. He certainly could fairly assume,
that it hod hardly ever happened in the military
history of this country, that Parliament was ever
called upon to consider a measure of greater mag-
nitude, than that they were now called upon to con-
sider. Ile was aware that there was no occasion to
enter into the question as to the propriety of the
original measure • for although Gentlemen might
conceive that there were moral objections to that
enterprise, they sink in oblivion, when connected
with its magnitude, as it was impossible that any
man could think that so large an addition to the
naval force of the country, even were they not taken
from our enemy's power, was not a most important
acquisition. Such a question had never fallen to
the lot of any Parliament to consider. It could
not be acid, that the operation was so easy in its
nature, that the army and navy were not entitled to
the thanks proposed, equally as if there bad existed
greater difficulties. His Majesty's Ministers felt it
their bounden duty to provide most 'ample means
for the effectual execution of the enterprise,
in order that they might make the force sn clearly
irresistible es to, take away all hope of effectual re-
siatance, and thereby furnish to Denmark an op.

pertuoity of testifying to the ...ell, that it wl
possible to resist the attack. it certainly et u,,
dity of Millisters to send the greatest poe.Us.
force they could spare, and when at Copeolev,
it was found indispensably necessary to call foi t
assistance of a corps that was, in fact, in the sew!,
of the 1it,28-4Sitetiet444ooa 41,1400, the 4a..ce
assembled ei ropenhaseu ens certainly a Most
powerful one; and never was an army rendered
More ellisieat, by ba•
ng.p.rovided with evssy tliul
of means to effectuate diesr pupose. It might he
necessary to call the attention of the House to the
particular nature of the difficulties that army bad
to contend with, and the nature of 'the fort* o.p.
posed to them. There was a general disposition to
run away with the notion, that the force assembled
in the Island of Zealand was not of a nature,
either in point of number or description, to or-
pose any effectual resistance to an army, so name-
rous and so imposing as that sent front this couatri.
With respect to those who were found iu arms
Zealand, from the. most scrupulous inquires
had Made, the number of Danes who had taken
up arms did very conitideralaky exceed late mann,
of the troops sent sointtbsies. In his caeulatisin
he did not inclade the faros of armed peasautei
Zealand, and the.armed tahabitants of Coilenba-
gen. Were be to iaelade those of such descrip-
tions engaged at the !siege of Copenhageu, the to-
tal number would be much more considerable,
but speaking only of the regular force of the
Danes. their armed nausea, and regimented .mi-
litia, there warnot less thin a force of 40;,4000
Men within ant) without Copenhagen. The•pfar-
rison of Copenhagen alone did not consist or ktss
than fifteen thousand men, and the gattriaen
Crouenburg between four and five thousand mote.
The army iltat,Ceme out of:Copenhagen may be
stated at sixteen thousand men, besides* all the
armed popithifiqh abided to; add to which, that it
war not the amount of force within the Island: that
M should alone allude to, for he might state, that
it was considerably increased by the facilit*
parsing an armed force from the adjaceut'conptry ,
however attentive the navy, situated in the Qreat
Belt, was to prevent such consequences, it Ant cer-
taioly not of that description of blockade lint
could prevent an enterp9ie Of this nature 'from
being defeated by iis army passing over front''
oppotate coast. It was not merely the sniping
the enemy's force that constituted the Ziffsimltieu.
this enterprize. for they had to attack a town
hardly inferior in extetat to any town in Europe,
which, by its variant; out-works, was reudenid in-
capable of surprise,, so- that there wee no means
for our army to ga aesaion 'of it, except by re-
gular attack. AU the Officers utirmiuted wish
that place knew that from the nature of its t;itvle s
tad work.. it was coronletely iniulneraitle mot
could only be approacieed•bps carder bombard-
meat. so severe and effectual, that be could hard!:
think the enterprise could Ntith Pities' he seeder.
valued by any pie, on acetruht of the difficulties
encountered. With respect to the time enaployyd
in taking the place; he begged the House to COA-•
shier the nature of the attack, anal the openttions
necessary in landing suck .a finer, together o*th
• time occupied in marching to comibence edam-
bardment of a place at three of roue Miles distance
from their place of landing, thromthout -el of
which it was necessary to place battering cannons.
The whole of these operations were completed be.
tween the tpth of Axigust, and the 2cl of Sep.
tember ; and on that day such were the axe:
• tions wed, that they were actually M a situation t
summon the place to stivreuder.- Here the Nob
Lord enlarged urn the dibgenee and activity m
and the humanity "hewn- by the troops engageti in
this lamentable attack ; and also made some alba-
*iota§ to the diffieultyof 'educing such is fortress,
at such an advanced season • of the year I trout
all of 'which he conelnded, that the Army add
Navy had accnmplished an achievement
the first consequence' in a military point
view. Ile also descanted,•witis his usual acute-
ness and precitioni upon the difficulties which
Ministers had to encounter, in Order to expedite
the sending or a force sufficiently provided with ne-
cessaries, toexecute effectually. with as little toes u
possible to the Dimes, au enterprise of this maatiti-
tude. He added, it was weft wirertained thattbe
French army in Holstein amounted to 40,000 men.
The difficulty in procuring a sufficient number of
transports, to convey the troops from this Country,
was very considerable, and therefore a considerable
time expired in this department of the operation.
It *as on the 19th July that His Majesty!s Minis-
ters' formed their opinion and determination, mid
the expedition sailed, completely. equipped in old-
name, and every requisite for a siege, on the Seth
of the same month, as that only eleven days had ex-
- pined in all. His Lerdship then mooed, ts Thit the
thanks of this Howse be given to Lieut.-General
Lord Viscount Cathcart, Knight of the most an
tient order of the Thistle, for the decisive and jutli
elfin" measures used by hi* in the late attack upon
Corormhesevi.q
Mr. WINDHAM:O%6%ff, dtit'notwithstand-
ing what lie had heard, it could not be expected
that his former impression, as to the attack upo.
Copenhagen, timid be in any•degree altered.
felt himself under the necessity of opposiug
motion, however unpleasant the taak. He
not inclined to impute to Ministers any other
motives that: what were proper, but he begged tr
remind them, that in every measure of enterpriz,
there was a third party brought into notice, wl•
having committed no fault whatever, were first
object to what had passed in their name, conceivi;
themselves not to be parties to it. It was I
pleasant to appear inclined to withhold praise fro,
those to ahem it may be deemed due; but
should set out with declaring, dud he should at
scribe most cheerfully to all the Noble Lord I
said as to the exertions used by the army and nay
for he believed they had done all that men trot
do in their situation, and even that they acted i
moderate and temperate manner, to mitigate
harshness and temerity of the service. He should at,
agree that the merits °finish a service should be kep
comoletely distinct from its pelitical merits, wii4
which those entrusted with the execution of it lykd
nothing to do. Although, however, it mightfbe
kept entirely separate from the merits of the
nistry, yet be thenght that it ought not to be
out of' notice in the consideratioa of the preset
coition. ' He begged the Ileum, for a mosses,
to consider a little those sont of rules by whl

public demonstrations of national gratitude
be governed, and the particular occasions to
they could apply. It was not aunty usual
give thanks without any regard to the service
rendered, or The diffietaltios -enetientered. With
rsPect to the courage and bravery displayed in the
upon CopenhageO, he believed he contd.
ice many instauces us which as great bravery
manifested, in actions with privateers, loggers,
gun-boats, and for which uo vote of thauka
I ever been thought Of, although a perfect
coati-met of life had been ehewn by many in-
- value's, iu the service of their country. There
ight be cases too, in which much merit might be
shewn, - without an opportunity •of courage being
displayed. such as where a General, by judicious
ianagement, had brought off his army from a
•st force of an enemy. In such a caie, the Ho
/ feel it tiecesoury to give a vote of thanks, b t
ei...4
could not conceive, in every case where con
, &played, a Vote of Thanks became nee
such a mode Ministers were attempting
oi4akenn ostentatious shew ''of national exultation,
'it it could not be said; that they have the feeling
the eountry•with tilititn.by Arai a manifestation
gratitude. This wis no ground of real tri-
tele compared with the achievement of the Bri-
i forces in Egypt, Win* they' displayed such
: and courage, when opposed to the French In-
viaeibles. Tins was an attempt, to praise the army
iodine?, for theiperfoninnee of a service, which,
''' he wend to the merchants at Lloyd's, he would
id them 'ready to condemn. It might be said
be a serviee that aboold -render us glad, but it
could not be such a gladness as that winch a man
would feel who was .conianced be had been the
means Of waving his see front iiifiniati death, by sa-
crificing his limb, and contend thereby to render
lame through lifer Our ness'should, in this
ail
,beof a sober cast, a not such as would
shew exultation or triumph its the general feeling of
the country. It was an iikindicious tribute of ap-
plause
and testifying of joy, when he heard the
gain tired for Our suceise upon this occasion. Hiee
eoip'ulered it merely ins military and naval, ser-
ies., but not one clutch a nature as to afford the
officers and men an opportunity of signalising
theinselves, and therefore not entitled to the thanks
of the Ilnuse. Itupoeared the Noble Lord, by hi.
elOquence ueon thili oinision,did not know where to
leave, the matter, and was quite at a loss whether to
ascribe the merit to the mei', or to the officers ; or, is
other 'words, he did not seem to know whether to ,
take it out of the meal or malt. (A brink) Iji;
short, the Noble Lord did not know whatto include
A this vote of thanks, and might with as much p
.priety have moved it in favciur of those con
with the transport service, also in the victual
department, for the convenience afforded in feeding
the men. The Right Hon. Getitteman•ridicnle4
with eis.usual force itudocuteness, the different gra-
dation' of -Merit astsittedby the Noble Lord to
atbos i
cottoerned je the various deperteamais skin
' me end state&that the force to there
Such a nature, as no oaleer7tMl it would take
much credit to himself for conquering ; they con-'
slating moetty'of mei', women, and cbildreu, wek
dressed up in red coats, ' but totally nu/keel/sir
.tonsal to the wed arum horn doing an injuaii
lice to those who had seilaired honour and gin%
the important services rendered to their con*
.. i. He complimented Lord Cathcart and
ir AI
sail Gambier, and alluded to several occasions
wl,ith they had each sigualived, themselves, b
could sot thiuk either Owl-a or any of the of
*peers employed op.iii this elcpetlition, entitled
isi
the thanks of the Hthere House. if were any thi 4,
that could be conadered as a.sacred trust, it was, in'
his opinion, the thank, of•the House iu rewarding im-
portant naval and military servicn. They ought
silwayi to be conferred upon those uloue who merit
them. Every man, rich and poor, had an interest
i their Leine well bestowed; for if otherwise, it
went to impoverish that fond from which the real
services rendered to the country were to be res
yarded.• Vi'hat must the public think of those
vie. nix)... their own Anteing, were giving rewards
lavishly, fur the'sole purpose of Wing spleudont
'to their own transactions f They evidently were
eadem Guying', by every means in' their power, to
ire a degree di' splendour to an expedition which
. was not deserving of. Upon the whole, he could
ant better illmrtrate this. laboured and splendid
description of the Noble Lord. titan by alluding to
a eerbtin OtiOternan,' who, being desirous of ap-
pearing in all his splendour upon a Leal Mayor's
day, sad happening unfortunately. to have a wooden
leg, (olludiug, We Miler. to Sir Brook Watson).
hang much at a loss horltto animal it, was advised
to set tint off most ostentatiously; which he'Cottid
not Leep out of right, and acasetatgly employed a
workinsii to gild his wooden-liege ' (Laughing.)
The course which Ministers were adopting to deck
out that which Cley could net Conceal, lad him to
ceaceiiit, that they too were issibibeg the worthy
Alderman_ lie hal alluded to, and were actu-
ally gilding their wooden leg. (More laugh-
ing.)

Mr. BRAND said a few words a.plinst the
:notion, and stated, that it nos improper to thank
the Army and Navy for gausing such a triumph
over a Neutral. Ile wiahed, however, to abstain
Pram •goitig into the merits et the CoPeahar
as it may tend to prejudice the future dis-
cussion of that point.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
"imported the argumento•of hi/ Noble Frienct, at
considerable ledgth, and iliselaimed the unworthy
tantives attributed to the present motion, in ary
attempt, on the part of His Majesty's Ministers, to
arrntrote to themselves any merit that the expedi-
tion itself did not entitle them to.
Mr. TIERNEY—" In what has fallen front
the Right Honourable Chancellor of the Exche-
quer' I could not help remarking, that the prin-
cipal ground on which be has founded the pro-
priety of tto application to the I louse for a Vote of
l'hnnks to the forces lately employed in the Baltic,
is the circumstance of the pitrieise of the expe-
dition haviie: been effected with the utmost hu-
manity-. But, Sir, 1 shall answer this by re-
laindin; him, that the. expedition, however
imititiable or unjustifiable in its nature I do not
t.'w contend, was conducted by British forces, to
whose genesoos bosoms feelings of •humanity have
never in any instiuscs- lic^n strangers. Had the
expedition been the rate: 421enclid in its memo,

the "lost judiciPui in its conduct, the most silvans
tagedris in its result, and the moat hononnible
its nature, the Noble Lord, who made the motion,
could not have called on the House for a more
solemn and distinguished pledge of their unquali-
fied approbation and gratitude ; and to induce the
House to agree in sentiment with him, the Noble
Lord had dealt largely in what may be termed
round and unqualified assertions, unsupported by
fact. 1 acknowledge be did labour under a dis-
advantage of a most distressing nature to any other
man than himself—that of having really nothing
to speak upon. We are all aware, however, that
this is never so severely felt by the Noble Lord as
by others ; there is, perhaps, no man in this House
who can say more upon that copious subject.—
The Right Honourable Gentleman who last ad-
dressed the House, did not, it is true, labour under
the same disadvantage, as he had at least so much
matter to discuss as was contained in the able and

pointed tipeech of my Right Honourable Friend.—
But, Sir, the grand reason with the Ministry fur at
all introducing the subject into the House at pre-
sent—the real source of those details of dangers
-erred—difficulties surmounted—labours cum-
- ,:-...enous forces disconitited—honours
~inferred—and debts of grutitnde
.atracted—is simply this, and this alone : The
present Ministry having come into office under
certain, at least implied, pledges, that their Go-
vernment should be that of vigour and energy,
were compelled, of necessity, when they bad the
good fortune (thongb they failed in their original
intention) to effect any thing, to turn the trum-
peters of their own praise, and make the most of
what they had achieved. The promise of the
Ministry; I grant, has been at least equalled by the
performance. Their conduct was to he out of the
usual and ordinary course, and this House and the
country have to lament that the vigour of the Exe-
cutive has effectually debased the character of
the imbue in the eyes of the world, it seizing.
treacherously and contrarily to the received laws
of nations, the capital and navy of an ancient
Ally. But, to cover the crime and Outrage,
they have assailed the public prejudices and
the public feeling; hence the unsupported as-
sertions of the hostile intentions of our Ally ;
and hence the expedient of tiring the guns of the
Tower, exalting the Commander of the expedition
to the dignity of the Peerage ; and lastly, of call-
ing nit the Houle to thank the forces engaged in
she expedition. They have not been satisfied with
violating die laws of nations abroad : they wish next
to corrupt the fountain of honour at home. Pro-
digality in the impenditure of the country would
be comparative economy to this indiscriminate
lavishment of dignity and honours. There is not
to be found in the records of this country an in-
stance of a similar distribution of rewards under
similar circumstances. For my part, I am con-
vinced, that no man was more surprised than Ad-
miral Gambier himself, at his sudden elevation to
the Peerage. Though I entertain for that distin-
guished character the moot profound esteem, let ,
me ask the Noble Secretary, what were the naval
services in whose praise he is so eloquent? The
Right Hon. Gent. admitted in his reply, it was
neat to nothing; but then added, by way 4016
fying the Vote of Thanks, since the army woes{
successful, the navy, who co-operated with them,
should partake of the honours decreed to the part-
ners of their toil. But the fact is, Sir, that neither
one or the other have gone further than, in the mi-
litary phrase, " beaten the grimed," as at a review
or field day ; though lam still inclined to believe
the navy did even more than the Noble Lord ad-
mits, in preventing the transportation of supplies
into Zealand. The Noble Lord has been one
while afraid of granting too much merit to the
army and bard Cathcart, through his solicitude
for the navy; at another, equally afraid of grant-
ing due merit to the navy and Admiral Gam-
bier, lest the army should not appear to have
achieved something prodigious. While he has
poised the respective merits of the two Command-
ers, he completely forgot, in panegyrising the
gallant General, that he is a man of approved
merit, and tried services, and might couse-
quently spare laurele, at least laurels of this de-
scription. The enemy, it appears, had courage-
ously taken to their heels on the first approach of
tengdan r, a few, overtaken without the walls of Co-
gen, made a mere show of resistance. Much
as been said of the militia of the country, but the
contemptible state of that force could not be
inure aptly illustrated, than by co:nparing it
with that redoubted body of veteran heroes,
the lumber troop of the trained bands of this
city, who, in case of emergency, arrayed
themselves with whatever anus or ammunition
chance throw in their way ; one seizing a blunder-
buss or a bludgeon, another a pistol or a pikestaff;
thus exhibiting a motley group of ludicrous carica-
tures on the military parade. The Navy, it had
been said, had eminently assisted the debarkation
of the troops, though, from some cause, it ap-
pears this debarkation was made iu an improper
place. The whole biteinesa had been conducted
with so much facility, that there had aot been any
mention of the merit of may particular officers—
Nor would the Noble Lord have omitted contri-
buting to the eclat of the expedition, had it been
possible to have made any such distinction. If
any tribute of applause is due to any part of time
forces, it certainly is solely to the Officers of the
Artillery, who conducted the whole of the bom-
bardment with great spirit and skill. To them we
are indebted alher fur the success of the expe-
dition. The fight Hon. Gentleman who spokelast,
had risen in the cohfidenee that lie could establish the
•propriety of the vote of thanks, in this instance, by
precedent. He hail unfortunately hit upon that of
Admiral Cornwallis, who had, by his prudence
and intrepidity, in sight of a vastly superior force
of the enemy, brought off a part of our naval force
committed to his charge; such conduct was moit
eminently meritorious, and cannot at all be com-
pered, as to desert, with the present subject. That
also which he adverted to, the thanks voted to the
Government of Bombay and Madras, which I never
for my part approved of, cannot "serve as a
precedent on this occasion, inasmuch as the inten-
tion of the vote is strictly defined by a specie-
catifin of the nature of the service performed by
these respective Governments to the GovernorsGe-
send. Corsiea had fallen a bloodless prey to the
prudence of Lord Hood, when the nation was in-

ed—ti ties

lobed in a fair and-open *at aids- Prance. His
Lordship then merited the thank. of this House,
and the gratitude of the country, ip contributing
to our glory at 'sea. Can such be compared to the
rso service perforated by the Nobic Lords in ques-
tion and which has even been indebted for the
small merit it has, to the fruitful imagination of
the Noble Lord, who has stated the 'regale; farce
of the Danes, by land, to amount to 08,000 men,
whereas, I have never been able to discover, by ny
documents existing, that this force ever exceeded
e7OO. Let Government be cautious of expending
with prodigality the horiours•of the country.-,-
'Tis the prospect of honour, and honour only,
which can support and invigorate our naval end
military heroes in the hour of danger and dis-
may. Should the 'country even think fit to re-
Ward the services of a distinguished Officer by a
pension of 20001. per annum, such a reward would
be trifling, to an inderendent and noble mind,
compared to the hereditary dignity conferred on
hint and his descendants, in raising him to the
exalted rook of a Peer of the realm. Such re-
wards should then be preserved fur extreme occa-
sions and extraordinary services. But while I
thus advise the House, I have no intention to take
its sense, by pressing for a division on the /subject.
Bat, Sir, I have now to surest the strangeness
of this application to the House for its thanks, in
return for services done to the political and com-
mercial interests of the country, when there has yet
been no notice taken of the benefits aecruing to the
trade of the con ntry from the expedition to the B attic,
by the committee of Lloyd's coffee-house, which in
general preceded Parliament in votes of this nature.
The reason was evident. They had felt themselves in-
jured, or at least neglected, and these wert sufficient
reasons to induce theta to refuse a Vote of Thanks
to the Commanders of that expedition, although one
of them was the particular favourite of the trading
interest in this country. They, Sir, felt sore in
finding the trust they had reposed in him violated,
and that the Captain (Sir Home Popham) had
beta employed iu packing up cases of old lumber
in the naval gores of Copenhagen. while the inter-
est of the shipping in the Baltic had been aban-
doned ; no one Consul in the Baltic being in-
formed of the date of affairs between Denmark
and this country. While they confided the trader's
interests to this great friend of the Mayor of Lon-
don, the Mayor of Birmingham. and the Mayor
of Itristol, he and his associates were employed
in ransacking every hole and corner for every
old hammer or hand-spike in Copenhagen stoves.
The idea of thanking them, therefore, never came
into their heads ; nor, perhaps, would it have en-
tered the Ministers', but that they began to think,
if we want credit for our conduct from the coun-
try, let us obtain a precedent for it, ID securing to
the troops that of the House ; it was a mere after-
thought—" Better late than never," said Ministry ;
‘4 better never than at all," would have been my
answer, consulted. When Copenhagen was last
mentioned to the House, there was no occasion for
the Noble Lord, then also in office, to make an
artful speech to persuade us to give Lord Nelson
the Thanks of Parliament. This claim required
no eloquence or sophistry to support it. That Noble
Lord bad fought one of the most blood,- betties in
the' annals of British Naval History, end, in the
heat of action, had displayed such coolness and in-
trepidity, that he was enabled to compel the Danes
to accede to terms of pacification, to us the most
honourable. In fine, Sir, if on this occasion the
thanks of the House and the 'amount of the coun-
try are indiscriminately lavished, I con only say,
that honours will not be in future what they were;
demand for pensions will rapidly increase, but that
for lionoura and thanks will proportionably decline.".
After some explanation from the CfIANCEL-
LOR of the EXCHEQUER and Mr. WIND-
HAM, the gallery was cleared of strangers, in
expectation of an immediate division ; the Debate
was continued by Lord Folkestone, Mr. W. Smith,
Mr. Whitbread, Lord Osaulston, and Sir Francis
Burdett, against the motion of thanks, stud by
Mr. Edward Morris in favour of it. Mr. Whitbread,

in the course of his speech, quoted the following
from Lord Counbier's own letter, as carry-
Kiagssarrth it the most conclusive argument against
the motion : The operations of the Beet hare
not been of a nature to afford a zeneral aasi brilliant
0CC4.4011 to add fresh testimony to the braitery of the
British navy."
Upon the division taking place, there appeared,
Fo► tin, Motion,
Against it,

MlioritY, •1

LIST OF THE MINORITY.
Lord Osaniania, W. Smith,
H. C. Coast*, i.e. Smith.
Hon. J. W. Ward, Richard Sharp,
S. Whitbrecni, Henry Pierce
Haw 'l'. Brand, Fierce,

Thomas Creev'ey,
H razirzritoa,d6
W.
Weary Parnell,
Rubbery Tracey,

Mon Mathis.,
Ruben Horst,
Hue. W. Howard,
FrooeL Ranier.

Lord Folkestone, I Sir Francis Burdett.
Th. Speaker was then requested to communi-
cate the Thanks of the House to the Commanding
Officers, Lords Cathcart and Gambier, by them to
be communicated to the Officers and privates corn-

posing the forces or the Expedition.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
moved for the re-appointment of the Committee of
Finance, after recapitulating the important advan-
tage.; received by the appointment of the late Co-
mmittee, particularly with respect to the Army Pay-
ORice and, the Bank department. with both which
departments the most satisfactory arrangements
had been entered into for the regulation of the
public expenditure. He concluded by stating
the nomination of the Committee to be precisely
the same as that which bad formerly taken place,
except the substitution of Mr. C. Ellis for Mr.
Ryder, not now in Parliament. Agreed to..
Mr. BANKES moved the House ft, go into a
Committee on the Bill for preventing the granting
Offices is Reversion. Agreed to.

Mr. HVEILISSON in the Chair.
After some conversation in the Committee, be-
tween Mr. CROKER and Mr. WARD, the
several clauses were read and agreed to. The
House resumed, and the Report ordered to be

, -
irrnught up to-morrow.
TEe CHANCELLOR of the EXCUQUER

moved a That do Chaplain of this IlonEe preach
before the House.. on Satordayithe 30 of
ary, instant, in the eltatch of St- blargaret'b. Wtst-
utiuster." Ordesod-T:Adjout4d.,,,

Lair Intethigenee,ite, sec the tut pap.

THE BRITISH

LONDON,
FRIDAY, JAN. c.,9.

We have received letters from Holland to the 40th
instant, which announce. that on the isth HOC LAN r
HAD DECLARED WAR AGAINST SWEDEN. This
news is of importance, as it distinctly chews that
Swedsn
,is determined to adhere to England, aii.d
cannot be eitlttr persuaded or forced into the new
Continental Confedernei against this country. The
same letters add, that the Dutch Government had
consented to release, upon certain terms, all neu-
trals that had been detained' br virtue of Bowe-
rA.ST'leir Decrees, for having touched at a Briti►h
port, or suffered themselves to be searched by
English cruisers. The terms.of release are, pay-
,
meet of a line of 501. pee cent. in cases of Vessels
detained under the original Decree, and 701. per
cent. under the recent orders, in which the severity
of the penalty is increased.

It was reported on Tuesday at Ply-mouth, that
the Sirexe and Elbaboss French frigates, have
made their escape from St. Maloes : at which latter
place it was also reported, that' the Brest; as well as
the Rocbfort squadron, had put to sea. At Ply-
mouth, however, it was reported, on theauthority
of the Mediotcr, of 50 guns, arrived there, that the
Roclifoit squadron had returned to port. The
ItakigA, of 18 guns, is arrived at Plymouth--4he
was chased by the Rot Mort squadron, but escaped
by superior flailing.
Some Dutch papers to the Pith instant Mate,
that a disturbance did actually take place in Lis-
bon. The people assembled in the evening of the
19th ult. in the principal squares. Troops were
sent to restore order—but the ineurrection extended
to every part of the City, and the troops were
forced to bre. Forty-eight hours they remained
under arms, fur the people incessantly endeavoured
to renew the disturbance. At length, after 38 of
the ringleaders had been taken, the military gained
a victory.—lt is clear from this account. that elsg
insurrection was regularly organised, and was ge-

Some of the Papers are in the habit of daily an-
nouncing Cabinet Councils at the Foreign Office.
The importance attached to them is calculated to
impress the public mind with an idea that some
business of great importance is in train, that ,re-
quires the constant deliberation of Ministers. We
understand, however, that the Cabinet Councils,
thus pompously announced, are seldom more than
casual meetings of the heads of the several de-
partments, who are accustomed, after office how%
to call at the Foreign Office, to inquire the news of
the day.

Two French privateers, the Grand Argus. End
the Marsouia, of )4 guns each, lave been► captured
and sent into Plymouth, the former by La Seine,
and the latter by the Iris.

We lately stated, that much damage was done
at Flushing by the late storms, which were's°
severely felt at Ramsgnte and Margate. andthat lie-
veral persons were drowned. More recent accounts
from Flushing add, that the tide rose in sawiral
houses in Flushing to the height of twenty feet.'

A vessel arrived at Fa:mouth, which left the
Spanish part St. Andero, on thit 14th ~instents
states, lot an embargo had been. laid., eia
the pord of France, and that a similar measure via.
daily expeeted to tyke place in Spain. •
?The Chichester man of war, and oat tratnort,
from Jamaica, has arrived at Porterpouith. Aootlier
of the fleet has arrived at Liverpool. Tim bpj
for London, fouudeted on the 13th instant, bat
the crew were saved.
The apprehension of a war with America is not
so strong in the city, as it was prior to the hitt.ac-
coasts from that country.
The Rebecca, r. COW&ING, from Fowey, fed Lo-
don, was captured
ots the Mat. oaf /brighten',
by two French privateem. t •
The Eliza Sprosit,limirtils from New York, rot
Amstewhim, is putitito ilithrico, it 4 distreas.
Dispatches were received yesterday, from. etr
fleet otr Cork. Nothing inn of any importanix
had occurred upon that station.
A Messenger arrived fledeMliy et the Admiralty,
from Plymouth, with dispatches from Admiral
'fault.. Their coatents did;rmt transpire.
Captain hlsLaon is appointed to the command
of the Victory, the flag ahOp of Lord IS &LOON i 4
the memorable battle og,Tesfalgar.
In many of tbaFrierch privateers lately brought
into Plymouth, and other British ports, have been
found several young Gentlemen, in various capaci-
ties. On being questioned as to their being in this
situation on board a privateer. they frankly as:-
swertd, they had no mber alternative bat that, cr
being forced, by the laws of Coascription, into the
army.

hem g
which t
to give
readers
reipect
attack
adduce
o as me
sad gu
had ev
coatets
dividtu
alight
sheen,
dila%)
tieing
great t
may ft
be 'cot
inn di
By st
make
bat it
of tht
of gn
%mob
tish I
skill ti
viaeib
stadia
if he
find
to be
could
would
crifiei
hint h
cast,
show
the Q,
plans
vice,
office
them
of thi
eloqu
leave
asrril
other
take
short
inth
.met
' with
depa
the
with
' &tit
Cano
tiOtl,
of itu
mac'
•
alitil
• dreg
.tom
tics
lit ti
• try.
• oar.
ald
con
the
the
• his,
por
ilw
the
h,,
ter
W4l
WI!
1 sto
ea,
giv
it
de
• a
Pe
l ▪ do
lei
to
Itc
wl
4.1%
lY
ai
a
a tr
r tl
a
a
a
a
t
le
O
re
ie
4t,