The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-04-17 00:00:00

i

IidPERNT. PARwmnvr.

itii7SE OF I..!)RDi--I'Esmsoay. Anti' N.

•
Ste.rrtt *.re hrept zht ijD Cyan% the Huss of
Com-1 ,is ; triwnizzst which wer•. the Trish AlliJav't
Caarntsaioners Hill, the Irish 1,1411 Bdl, the Naval
11‘31iarn dill. the Irish lairmaries Bill, and Om
Cu, tom! Fees Bill.

71.be#.1:11er;s i:lrs/1 8f 11. and 'he Sicilian Prize
Dal, Were severally read a third time. an i passed.

CAPTOR?. OF \IONTE VIDEO

lowa liAW KE SBU R fib; ad ei rnsso their Lord-
shios--“ I rise, in pursuance of the notice I give
yesterday, to move toe Thanks of this finnse to
Sir Smote' Atichmuty, and the other Wilco,' an
men concerned in the capture of Mont. Video.-e
I kiln," that. upon former occasions of this nature,
31 MIC &MIAS hove been enteroined, relative to the
mode in sshich votes of thanks should be moved to
Officers and men who have heen concerned in
grit achievements for the service, in those eases
-Mhrie services die most imp •riant have been ren-
d r: d, both by Qtlicers and men, that the nature
of things could admit of; yet, if nn great exertion
was r-guired on the part of the military force of
this country, it has been doubted whether the great.
ness of the achievement itself was a 6t subject to
tall forth any proceeding in Parliament. I do
not, however, mean, upon this occasion, to enter
into a disenssion of the validity of those doithts ;
because, id the present case, there are circum-
stances which call upon your Lordships, in
a peculiar meow-4 to give your utmost sanc•
don in.f support to the Resolution I am about
to move. Whether I consider the number of the
enemy, the power or; used to the British
weep• the degree of opposition to their exertions,
the spirit and vigour that carried them into effed,
or the loss iit British lives to on that neeesion ; I
think this is a case that calls i a panic tiiar manner
for the unanimous thanks of this House of Puha-
meat. You will, I trust, he convinced with me,
that We wehievernent is one that has been highly
honernable both to the Military and Naval Sc, vice
of the country, and therefore much to be valued.—
The betreti.iii ter trecy of expreszioes of oratouile
coming from your Lord.itip,;, is various snit on-
skid side. Your vote of thonks tends to encourage
toe living to entolation of virtue, and administers
conselation to the friends and to latioos of the de-
ceased. fdy Loads, under these cOoumstanci I
should feel ie necessary to do little more Loin to
refer your Lordships to that statement of fafts which
has been already laid Is-fore you, were it not merely
for the purpose of recalling -to recolleCtion and
placing them in an eminent point of view After
the timeline; of the British troops, two very severe
odious took place, and one of them, in particular, I,
where the enemy had the advantage in point of
force, hr pre:gifted liy a numerous body
of eavairr ; and where, by 'he skill, ti:havi .or,
spirit, and intrepidity of our oa-ere and troops. the
**lion terminated to our glorious success. After
such a result, it occurred to t's Commander, tto
it would be the most advisable mode of taking
Monte Video. to commence a siege ; and I do not
te:ieve, that. .he tad:toy history of this country.
• disre p,lori.us irstance ever occurred. where
more spoil was evinced, or more numerous si fh-
e allies arcs otted themselves, th..a in this pert of the
transaf,i, If we look at that salon in every part,
w.. trlu:t he led to form the highest opinion of the
militery skill, enterprise, and spirit of our troops, oa
thtt one hand t and on the other, the utmost modera-
tion and good order after their obj .at ws. attained.
The coinage of those assaulting has been gene-
rally supposed to be peeler than that of c
singed. In the present instance, how vet ue.oy
to the honeer of the British natiou. site • tl anJ
intrepidity with which it was condo eI, prevented
such a conwonence. Notwitho :knot .„; the loss of
many distinguished officer', and many gallant he-
roes, the carnage was much inferior to that
on the side of the enemy ; and no sooner was
v: Tory obtained and the place taken possession of
by His NIA •sty's tocces, than the utmost order and
t' anquillity were immediately restored. and they, on
that occasion, furnished ad example of moderation
and forbearance. which, I oust. will always be ob-
seevei hy British troops, as well as be imitated by
the worlds general. Such a conduit is likely to
have the beneficial et•Cts, and deserves the
hilliest degree of commendation. I leviug thus,
I.lf Lords, stated the general grounds upon which
I cence:es this motion, in every point of new, to be
iirsoSi aainnaile, I. tbereflire, shall conclude, by
moving, first—" That the Thanks of this Howe be
given to Bligadiet -Genet Sit Samuel Aucionuty,
tor the sitili and 'dour that he displayed in the
capture it Olonte Video, upon the 3d of February
last."

On thil nintinn being reed from the Woolsack,
Thu Earl of GALLOWAY rose, and stated,
that after cheat& speech which had been made by
the Noble Socretiuy of Stains be should not trespass
Linch upon their Lordships; hut he was induced,
by his professional feelings. not to give a silent vote
upon this occaiisan. Ile heattily united with that
Noble Lord. at thinking that as much skill and
courage bad been disolayed in this instance, as ever
lie bast hea-d of. l'bere was cam circumstance.
however, which be could net help observing, which
orb sonsevrinat censurable in the condud of toe Noble
Lords on the opposite side, while it only ten ied to
increase the merit and intrepidity of the gallant
teems who were so engaged : it refletted additional
honour t. ,n open the Reliant .Admiral who was
c,recerned in t:ie capture. He alintle.l to the de.
ficiencyrit powder which discovered seven days
after the trendies had been opened. At that time,
two day,' powder only remained in yore cf tbis ar-
mament. Supp:.siag that the a%_ tuft had failed,
sv:iat v..0n1,1 have been their situation ? He could
nt help making this :email: ; but he did so
from no other motive, than t,l rcrieet humour upon
the condu4 and decision of Sir Samuel Auchmuty
and the others concerned. lie thought ano-
ther gallcm; nflicer too W4' entitled to the Thanls
et that !louse, for his achievement upon a former
Occasion, yet his condua haJ heed coldly and illibe.
rally passed over, as it a degree of jealousy existed
aorne-.?hci:. but which. nugbt ti be /lane away by
their? Lordships insiluding Mtn in Omit Vote of
Thanhs.

Lntd GRENVILLE ohservTd. that in proposing
a Vote of "I'llauL, theta ought to be as much una

nimity as possible ; and he did not think it n•as
USU,:: to introduce topics of an extraneous nature.
Ai to the Capture of the Cape, sitter it had be al-
luded to, he fount, himself under the neces..ty of
,itving his opinion, which was decidedly different
from that of the NoMe Lord .e!to had ment: ...ea it.
He never entertained a doubt, that our Army and
Navy, in whatever situat.on they might he p:aced.
would ad in a manner Itecomtne t I..tanolv and
highly creditable to their Country ; Fur it their
Lordships were to render their The-.ks A mere mat-
ter of form, the ben ficial effect of there would be
greatly done away. In cases where little or no
resistance has been made, or where the vet Tory
been gained by superiority of numbers, there was
su'ely no Least, it, comparatively srabing, to
come to a Vote Thanks to those by whom it was
gained, however much they might be entitled to
the gratitude of the Country, otherwise expressed.
Although he spoke thus. he confessed that he was
inclined to attach a greater value to the Cape, than
to the capture under cons.deration ; and be bad no
doubt, that if an equal resistance had been made,
equal honour would have been gained. As to the
otter point alluded to, he had no objedion to ester
into au inquiry and investigation, whenever it was
desired ; and he trusted it would be found that no
blame could attach to Mini..ters on account of the
scanty supply of powder, as stated by the Noble
Lord opposite.
'Che Earl of GALLOWAYexplained, that be had
only mentioned it for the purpose of throwing addl.
tional lustre upon Sir Samuel Auchmuty.
Lord HOLLAND thought this was a kind of
side-wind attack upon the late Ministers, and was
an unfounded imputation. It would surely baste
been more candid in the Noble Lord who had
sp .keg of it, it ite had at the same time stated the
reasons which prevented the expedition having a
more ample supply of powder.
The quesuo•: was then nut, and carried Arm. cm.

The Nobie SECRETARY then proposed other
two :notions, expreuive of the thanks of the House
Brigadier• General Lumley, and the Captains and
other Oitic.trs ; and also an appi oval of the conduit
df the Non commissioned Othzers and Privates en-
gage lin the said capture. These were severally
and unanimonsiy agreed to.
Lars: MULGRAVE then rose, and after a few
•bservations, made a similar motion of thanks to
Rear-Admiral Stirling, for the distinguished skill
and bravery w'th which he landed the troops at the
capture of the important fort of Monte Video, on
the 3d of Fehr uar y last.

L AUCKLAND approved highly of this mo-
tion' and said, that he telle•_`ted with peculiar
pleasure urn the gallant adion achieved by the
ar.ats us Ha Mjesty's ship the Gliltea.
Lord MULGRAVE having misconceived the
Noble Lord, exptessed his astonishment at his en-
deaveurior to decry the gallantly of the achieve-
ments, by mentioning that circumstance.
Lord GRi.NVILLE said a few words, which
cleared MVO, .any douot as tc, what had been said of
ti,e boats 0: the asters, having been intended to
add to, and not to detrat from, the merits of the
exploits alluded to.

The .Notion .vas then agreed to, and also similar
motions to th : Captains, Officers, and seamen, as
'iad been proposed to those of the land sers.ce ; and
it was ordt rts.h that the Lott Chancellor do corn.
municate the came to the several parties to whom
the thanks of the House had been voted.